At the Edges of Love's Void
by CrazyNinjaPenguin
Summary: She had been everything to the two of them but now she was so distant. Two left perpetually in the dark, Tatsuki and Chizuru, are forced to find a way to prevent their entire worlds from falling apart. Tatsuki X Chizuru. Yuri. completed.
1. Frayed Ends of Longing

A/N: Hello and welcome to my sixth Bleach story. This one deals with the Chizuru X Tatsuki pairing. This is a yuri pairing and will contain sexual material at a later chapter. Only continue to read if you are prepared for such things. Alright, let's get this started.

Disclaimer: Reading this fic might be detrimental to your ferbroom health; please read with caution and know that I do not own Bleach.

Tatsuki Arisawa couldn't help but feel irritated as she sat at her desk, effortlessly blocking out her teacher's current lecture. She didn't care about school right now, at least not about the learning part. Yet another day had come where so many desks were left unfilled.

Yasutora Sado was absent. Uryu Ishida was gone as well. Ichigo hadn't shown up in awhile. That girl, Rukia, the one who used to have a tendency to sometimes slip from Tatsuki's memory entirely, still left an empty desk. There was only one vacant spot that truly captured Tatsuki's full attention, however, and that was the seat reserved for her best friend, Orihime Inoue.

Tatsuki wished she didn't know anything, that she didn't have any suspicions. She wished she was able to just turn a blind eye to the absences, laugh them off, and just say, "_Orihime will be here tomorrow_." She wished this, but knew things had already progressed beyond that. Orihime wouldn't be there tomorrow.

It was really most infuriating. Tatsuki knew they were all hiding something from her. She supposed they must think it something that has nothing to do with her. She knew otherwise. She knew that somewhere out there, there was _something_… something dangerous that was not just a threat to her but to every other one of Ichigo and the other's so called friends left in the dark.

Tatsuki hated this sort of secrets. She hated being pushed aside. She hated having others trying to protect her without telling her what it was she was being protected from. At that moment she hated them all for abandoning her, for casting her aside and not letting her at least understand anything. She hated Uryu. She hated Chad. She hated Rukia. She especially hated Ichigo. She didn't hate Orihime. She couldn't. After all, not seeing a girl sitting in the empty chair she stared at was the thing she hated most.

Then, as Tatsuki still stared, all of a sudden there was a girl sitting in that chair. Tatsuki's eyes did a double take at the disturbance to their focus. A girl was sitting in Orihime's spot now, but of course the girl wasn't Orihime. No, it certainly wasn't Orihime. Chizuru Honsho, the class lesbian, a usual punching bag of Tatsuki's, was now filling the vacant desk a dumb smile etched across her face.

Alarmed at the sudden change in seating, Tatsuki broke her gaze and looked around. She was amazed to see that most of the class had already left. She had been so focused on menatal distractions that she hadn't noticed the end of the lecture, and the bell dismissing her and the other students. Forcing her things into her bag, Tatsuki decided to turn back to the redhead.

"Hey! Chizuru! What do you think you are doing sitting there?" Tatsuki called out.

Chizuru turned to meet gaze with her classmate. She sighed lightly. "Nothing in particular."

"That's Orihime's seat!" The tomboy said with deep scowl.

"I know that! Why else do you think I'd be sitting here?" Chizuru said with a good laugh.

"Why are you sitting there?!" Tatsuki growled; she wasn't in the best of moods and was always looking for a good excuse to vent a little.

"Because I miss Hime…" The bespectacled girl said longingly.

Tatsuki felt a part of her rage slip away. Though Chizuru's perpetual pursuance of Orihime was something that usually earned the overbearing lesbian a good beating, in this case Tatsuki could feel for her. Even if the redhead's desires were not in Orihime's—or Tatsuki's—best interests, Tatsuki at least understood that Chizuru was suffering right now just like she was. Still, even if she was able to understand where Chizuru was coming from on this occasion, the girl's position in Orihime's chair was still inexplicable to her.

"Okay… but… how does sitting in the chair help…?" Tatsuki asked, staring confusedly at the other.

"Hime isn't here for me to pet and cuddle right now but just think about how much she's sat at this chair." Chizuru said with a slight smile and a bittersweet voice.

"Yeah? She has been sitting there for the whole school year so far… I just don't see why that matters…"

"Oh? But just think about how much time the seat of this chair has spent in contact with Hime's cute butt." Chizuru said in a whimsical voice, offering a nice slap to the seat. "And all the times when she would take a nap or put her head down her cute breasts would touch this desk" She added, almost salivating and running her cheek along the side of the desk.

Tatsuki initially felt her rage begin to build at the perverted girl's remarks. She then came to realize how depraved and desperate they were. She felt almost sad for the girl. She shook her head.

"You sick weirdo…" Tatsuki commented with a soft giggle as she grabbed her bag and stood up, turning away from the other. As Tatsuki stared once more back into the classroom she noticed that Chizuru looked a little relieved to be escaping a conversation with her unscathed.

School was out now. Tatsuki was supposed to attend training with the karate team today but wasn't of a mood. As the star of the team she knew her coach wouldn't hesitate to let her have a day off if she asked. It might be a selfish request, but Tatsuki knew any training done today would be done halfheartedly. She supposed the coach much have noticed her slipping of late as well, for upon arriving at the karate team's dojo her request was allowed with even less fuss than she had imagined.

Tatsuki sighed as she began the walk back through the halls. She didn't know why she was so worked up over everything today... Actually she did know why she was, it was just the one thing she always denied herself. Chizuru's feelings for Orihime might have been more perverse in nature, but in truth they were almost identical to what Tatsuki truly though of her best friend.

That's why being separated like this was hurting so much. Orihime wasn't just a best friend to Tatsuki. Orihime was her world, her obsession. Even if it lacked the cuddling, groping and petting of Chizuru and Orihime's relationship, Tatsuki knew it was no different.

Orihime fascinated her. Orihime had long captured her heart. Since they first met, since Tatsuki first stood up to protect her, Orihime had been the target of her best friend's affection, her love. Tatsuki felt somewhat ashamed in remembering that what first motivated her to protect Orihime from bullies was the girl's beauty rather than any sense of justice.

There was little that separated what Chizuru felt for Orihime and what Tatsuki did. Some might say that they were the same save for the fact that Chizuru was more open with her feelings. Tatsuki kept them inside. Despite her physical strength and skill Tatsuki was weak. Her insufferable shyness, her fear, the most intolerable mess of emotions, all prevented her from rising up and making stride toward what she sought.

Chizuru might be called overbearing, perverted, or obtuse, but Tatsuki could only be called stupid. It was only someone stupid who would forcibly deny herself the thing she wanted most, hide it deep inside, try to wash it out of existence, only to let it somehow compact to new unbearable levels of intensity, where living without it became impossible. Yes, it was the clear marking of an idiot, or perhaps a masochist, either way Tatsuki had let it happen, and as Orihime continued to slip away from her, she felt the very real danger of her whole world suddenly imploding.

Tatsuki looked up from her thoughts. She was outside Karakura High School now. Students still lingered about conversing with one another. Tatsuki found her eyes drift for the second time in what was a short while to the figure of Chizuru Honsho, who leaned against a tree, a morose look in her eyes.

Tatsuki approached her. Despite their rocky relationship, she didn't hate Chizuru. If anything she envied her. She truthfully identified with her, it was just that protecting Orihime came before everything else.

"Hey Chizuru! What are you up to now? Don't tell me Orihime's shoulder brushed up against that tree or something like that…" Tatsuki gave a dark laugh as she walked even further towards the redhead.

"Hmmm… I don't think so. Why, did it?" Chizuru gave a slight smirk as she addressed her sometimes aggressor. In the classroom she had still mostly been her usual self, but now she seemed so distant and melancholy.

"Uh… no." Tatsuki shook her head, giving another laugh.

Chizuru didn't continue the conversation. Instead she stood still, her eyes staring far ahead. The spiky-haired girl followed her gaze. She was watching the students as they passed. Her sad eyes would brighten and the slightest smirk would grace her lips every time a relatively attractive girl walked past.

"Are you staring at other girls now, Chizuru?! Don't tell me you've finally given up on Orihime?" Tatsuki said with forced warmth; Chizuru wasn't supposed to be anything but smiles and energy, this behavior wasn't like her.

"I'm beginning to think it might not happen with me and Hime." Chizuru sighed somberly.

Tatsuki almost laughed but thankfully didn't. She had to remind herself that she was the stupid one, not Chizuru. Even after reminding herself though, she still found the notion that Chizuru had ever actually thought she was going to get Orihime insane.

"What makes you think that?! Just because she's been missing school and avoiding everyone lately you think you should give up?!" Tatsuki fumed. Of course the words were more aimed at herself then the other.

"Wow Tatsuki Arisawa, you surprise me. First you initiate conversation with me and then you actually try and encourage me to go after Hime…." Chizuru gave a soft laugh. She added slyly, "So is the world spinning in reverse today or something?"

"Maybe it is. I'd say that sad look on your face as you look at new girls is fairly out of character for you as well."

"I just… I just don't know… I don't know what I'll do when my Hime slips away from me entirely. Where all the love will go…" The usually forceful girl said in a soft, reserved fashion.

"Chizuru…" Tatsuki said sadly, wishing she could confide in the other, but knowing Chizuru was the last person she could tell the truth, "Even if she doesn't want the same things as you, Orihime somehow still thinks of you as a friend. She won't abandon you entirely."

"I don't know… I get the feeling that she's involved in something scary… that anything could happen... and that maybe she'll just suddenly leave without saying anything and we won't ever see her again." Chizuru looked helpless. It was sad really.

Without warning Tatsuki delivered a hard jab to Chizuru's shoulder. The redhead reeled back in pain. She shouted, "Hey! Tatsuki! What was that for?! I didn't even do anything!"

"You were depressing me…." Tatsuki smirked.

"Well _sorry_." Chizuru said with a snide sarcasm.

Tatsuki shook her head as she looked around again. The grounds around the school were relatively empty now. There wasn't any more point in staying around here. She turned around to leave.

"Hey you! Where do you think you're going?!" Chizuru ran after her to catch back up.

"I think we've been through this enough times now, Chizuru, that you should know not to provoke me further after the first time I hit you." Tatsuki gave out a long sigh as she continued to walk.

"No, I mean, don't you have things you should be doing after school? You are the star of the karate team, right?" Chizuru asked, still following.

"I decided to take a break from all that today. I'm not in the mood."

"Yeah... You don't seem to be all that _happy_, do you?" the redhead said, once again with biting sarcasm.

Tatsuki scowled at the other. She soon noticed that they had exited the school grounds and were both now walking down the street together. She asked while showing signs of irritation, "Why are you following me?"

"I'm not. My house happens to be down this way too." Chizuru replied steadfastly, as if prepared for the question.

Silence fell for what seemed like a long time. Tatsuki tried to out pace Chizuru and lose her, but the redhead seemed to become determined not to fall behind. It was vaguely annoying and left Tatsuki confused. Why couldn't she just have a normal peaceful conversation with Chizuru? The two of them had more in common than Tatsuki cared to admit. Why was she so determined to keep their relationship strained?

"So, Chizuru... did you... when you were looking did you see anyone who stood out to you like Orihime?" the black-haired girl asked as she slowed back down to a casual stroll beside the other.

"Your mood really is off! The girl who pummels me and calls me a freak and a weirdo almost every day now is concerned over my love life?" Chizuru stared at her classmate awkwardly.

"I was just curious." Tatsuki sighed. "I know I go overboard some times."

"I don't think there is another girl in all of our school as wonderful as Hime. None of them were enough to make me just forget everything and smile..." Chizuru's eyes were filled with disappointment.

"Orihime..." Tatsuki muttered almost silently to herself.

"She's why you're upset too, right?" Chizuru asked in a soft voice.

"Don't... don't get the wrong idea..." Tatsuki choked out in reply.

"I wasn't suggesting anything. It's perfectly normal to get upset when your best friend starts to distance herself from you." Chizuru giggled slightly.

"Yeah..." the karate expert gave a faint blush and a reflective smirk.

"In fact, it probably effects you a lot more than it does me. A friendship like the one you two have doesn't come around everyday, now does it?" the redhead smiled.

"Yeah..." was all Tatsuki could say again. She didn't like talking about her relationship with Orihime. Deep down it wasn't what she wanted, and what she wanted disgusted her.

Things returned to silence. Not pure silence this time but rather the sound of Chizuru humming. Once again the bespectacled girl seemed to have underwent some grandiose change in spirit. Tatsuki didn't have any clue as to why this time. Maybe Tatsuki had inspired Chizuru in reminding the girl she at least was suffering less than one other person was.

As she listened to Chizuru's humming, Tatsuki suddenly heard a familiar sound. It started as a low growl but built to a the fiercest screech. She didn't turn around; it could have been too late then. Instead she rushed forward, tackling her classmate to the ground as a bizarre shadowy mass passed overhead at incredible speed.

"Oh wow! You're not really the type I typically go for, Tatsuki, but if you're that aggressive I might just learn to make an exception!" Chizuru squealed playfully as she looked up at the girl who had her pinned to the pavement.

"Shut up! We're in serious danger." Tatsuki said, fear in her eyes as she lifted her head to look around. Almost immediately her eyes came to a focus on the nearby shadowy mass.

This mass, this creature, with its grotesque body and ghostly white mask, was something that Tatsuki had encountered before. She didn't understand these things. They used to be invisible to her, then they started to appear as shapeless blurs to her, now she could make out every detail. She had three times personally encountered monster of this kind, one of which had even taken the shape of a man; all three times she had only narrowly avoided death.

Tatsuki hated these monsters. They were fierce, evil, and terrifying. Orihime was also involved with them. She had no knowledge of the story but she was certain Ichigo, with his strange black robe, had dragged her into conflict with them. The thought of Orihime being so callously tossed before the jaws of these monsters infuriated her to no end.

"What danger? I don't see anything." Chizuru looked around, her gaze followed Tatsuki's but seemed deeply lost.

Before Tatsuki replied the white-masked monster made a leaping jump at the two students on the ground. Tatsuki threw herself and Chizuru out of the beasts' claw path at the last second. The ground cracked deeply in two at contact with the monster's heavy claws.

"What the hell's going on?! There's something there, isn't there?!" Chizuru asked in a panic staring at the cracks to the pavement.

"Yeah... there's somethin', alright." Tatsuki spat as she postulated how to get herself and Chizuru out of this mess.

Chizuru adjusted her glasses and squinted her eyes while gazing in the direction of the dark creature. "Oh yeah, there _is_ an area that's all blurry like there's something there... So what exactly is it?"

Tatsuki took a sigh of desperation as she replied, "A big fuckin' monster..."

"Y-you don't say..." Chizuru said nervously, backing away a little from the spot the creature stood at.

"Chizuru. When I give the signal let's run like hell." Tatsuki said, shaking with fear.

"Got it!" Chizuru agreed, the fear from Tatsuki's face seeming to transplant directly to hers.

"Okay now!" Tatsuki shouted almost immediately. Her and Chizuru stumbled to their feet and began to run. The monster ran after them. Tatsuki could feel the gap between it and them closing rapidly.

A/N: Cut it off right here. Another start. A fairly busy first chapter. I hope it wasn't boring. Lots of Orihime centric angst to go around here. I was hard placed as to how to characterize Chizuru. You see so little of her when Orihime isn't in the picture. All you ever see is her energetic, perverted side. As such, excuse me if you think she is out of character. This story really brings back memories of my Orihime X Tatsuki story. Considering that's one of my favorites I'd say it's probably a good thing. Oh and in case you were worried about placement this story is taking place sometime during the later part of the arrancar arc, while Ichigo and the others are all training for the fight with the arrancar. Anyways, tell me what you thought. I love reviews.

Discussing my most recent profile poll briefly, I asked who the coolest male Bleach characters were, as I felt like I was ignoring them. 23 people voted. The results were some what interesting. The top five were: 1: Kenpachi Zaraki (10 votes), 2: Byakuya Kuchiki (8), 2: Grimmjow Jeagerjaques (8), 3: Ichigo Kurosaki (7), and 3: Yasutora Sado (7). some pretty cool characters there; I've always thought Chad and Zaraki were some of the cooler characters. I was glad to see Hitsugaya not sweep up voters as I had imagined since of course I hate him. I was also glad to see no one voted for Nnoitra as I also hate him. Tetsuzaemon, Yamamoto, Stark, and Kensei should have got some votes in my opinion though. While running this poll, I went back and discovered that despite asking previously which girls are the hottest, and which ones you wanted me to write about, I've never actually asked about favorites. Since I had no other ideas, I've decided to just go with that for the new poll.

Anyways, please review. Reviews are good.


	2. Hollow Shell

A/N: Sorry for the delay. Here is chapter two. I'm happy to see the first chapter get received fairly well. Let's hope everyone likes this one too.

Disclaimer: Oh no, my ferbroom just exploded! And yet I still don't own Bleach…

Tatsuki hated it. She hated the monster that was chasing her. She hated the way it looked, the way its presence felt, everything about it. The thing she hated most about it was what it represented. Monsters like it were the reason Orihime was leaving her behind.

It was becoming difficult to keep up. Tatsuki was at her limit, and Chizuru, who was running along side her, was well past hers. Tatsuki knew fighting was hopeless. The only chance she had of surviving this was getting away from the monster.

Unfortunately, it seemed the two of them were not fated to make their escape. Tatsuki heard a scream and turned to see that Chizuru had been snatched up by the evil beast. Her body was suspended in the air by the creature's gigantic tail. She screamed as it wrapped tightly around her body.

Tatsuki scowled as she let the monster's grotesque appearance set in. It was very large but had very short legs. There were six of these legs and two very large crab-like claws. Its body was very bulky, covered with layers of plate like skin. Its face was a pale white and was still and expressionless, as if it was a mask.

"W-what's… h-happening…?" Chizuru struggled to breathe out. Her body fighting to shake as it was constricted. Tatsuki could see the life draining from her.

"Let go of her!" Tatsuki shouted desperately as she ran toward the beast and pounded her fist into its hard shell. She screamed out as an intense pain shook through her hand.

"Go away! Leave us alone!" Tatsuki continued to shout and also continued to punch the armored beast. Soon her hand was covered in her own blood. The fire in her eyes burned uncontrollably despite her physical agony.

"Leave _her_ alone!" Tatsuki delivered another blow to the monster; this one harder than all the rest .The pain she felt was indescribable but she didn't care. The intensity of what she felt in her heart far exceeded the intensity of her pain. Chizuru wasn't the "_her"_ she was speaking of at the moment.

"My, my, what an annoying, stupid human. It amazes me that such a lowly being would be capable of seeing me in the first place." The masked beast said as if its patience was being tested. It began to flail Chizuru about viciously in the air.

"What the fuck are you?! Why do you keep messing everything up?!" Tatsuki bitterly exclaimed as she continued to slam her fist into the beast; she was crying from her pain but didn't seem in the least bit afraid.

"Such weak creatures are beneath me. I honestly see no reason to explain anything to what amounts to little more than a light snack." The monster said as if far superior to its victims. Chizuru continued to scream as the monster crushed her in its tail. Swiftly the monster had raised one of its claws and brought it to the level of Tatsuki's neck.

"T-Tatsuki… look… out!" Chizuru shouted as the beast prepare to clamp down. Hearing the call, Tatsuki, though the creature was faster than her, somehow managed to pull off a timely duck and roll, escaping the monster's clutches with her head still attached.

"Chizuru! You can see it now?!" Tatsuki called out to the other, surprised but grateful.

Chizuru looked down at the strange beast under her and shrieked really loudly. Tatsuki took this as a good answer to her question.

"Ha, it doesn't matter if you can see me. It doesn't mater if all the useless humans of this world can see us. None of your kind can do anything to stop us!" The creature laughed cruelly; its tail grinding further into Chizuru's skin.

Tatsuki didn't like listening to the evil creature but its words made her think. Didn't Orihime and the others fight these things? If that was so, then were they no longer human? Had Orihime given up being a normal human? Tatsuki didn't understand any of it. She didn't like not understanding. She hated it. She hated this monster. She wanted it to die.

The first time Tatsuki had encountered one of these monsters, Ichigo had shown up to protect her and Orihime. The other two times it had been Orihime herself who had shielded her. No one was shielding her now; no one was coming to destroy the beast. Chizuru was pale and looked about dead. She was exhausted and in intense agony herself, knowing full well she would not be able to manage a miracle dodge the next time the monster chose to attack.

Then, rather suddenly, the monster did die. It was cut clean in half by a flash of light and seemed to evaporate. Tatsuki rushed forward to catch Chizuru in her arms as the remains of the monster disappeared around her.

Chizuru gave some hard, bloody coughs as she looked up at Tatsuki. Her school uniform had been effectively shredded by the monster and what remained of it was coated in blood from some gashes left to her stomach. She still smiled as she stared up at the other though, saying in struggled breath from Tatsuki's arms, "Pinning me to the ground and then holding me like this… I'm definitely seeing a different side of you today... Tatsuki…"

"You moron… Don't talk…." Tatsuki said harshly as she leaned Chizuru up against a nearby wall. She stood and looked around, quickly trying to catch sight of their "savior".

Tatsuki had expected to see Ichigo. She had hoped to see Orihime. She had considered the possibility that it might be one of her other classmates, Chad, Ishida, or Rukia. What she saw instead, the man who had come to her aid, was a complete stranger. He wore the same sort of black robe Tatsuki had come to associate with Ichigo but he, a peculiar, effeminate man, was not someone Tatsuki had ever met before. She ran toward him with the same rage she had shown the monster in her eyes.

"Who are you?! What have you done with her?!" Tatsuki shouted as she grabbed the pretty boy by his turtle-neck collar. She clenched her blood-soaked fist inches from his face.

"Ah! What's going on?! I'm not a bad guy…" The strange man said, seeming to be genuinely intimidated.

"Where is Orihime?!" Tatsuki shouted ruthlessly as she continued staring the man down.

"O-Orihime…? Oh… that explains why you can see me… You're Orihime's friend…" The man, despite having the power to effortlessly slay the beast Tatsuki couldn't even scratch was shaking from the raw intensity in the other's voice.

"Just shut up and tell me!" Tatsuki yelled viciously as she pushed the feminine man to a wall. "What the fuck was that thing?! Who are you and Ichigo and Rukia?! What are you all doing with Orihime?!"

"W-we're not really… supposed to give that information to humans…" The man said meekly. Tatsuki looked prepared to punch him but figured actually attacking him might cause him to show his true strength and overpower her.

"What's Orihime then?! Why does she get to know everything while the rest of us get nothing but secrets and lies?!" Tatsuki spat at the man; her anger was really quite impressive, even to herself.

The man's mouth was about to open to say something when a woman's voice came from behind Tatsuki. "Getting beat up by a girl now, are we Yumichika?"

The man freed himself from Tatsuki grip to speak to the woman with a play at helplessness, "I suppose so, Rangiku… You'll protect me, won't you…?" He laughed as he walked toward this other.

Tatsuki turned to look at the woman. She was undeniably beautiful, with a perfect, model-like figure, long, gorgeous strawberry-blonde hair, and an exceptionally large bust. Unfortunately, she was also wearing a black robe, something that immediately made her a target of Tatsuki's scorn.

"Oh my god! Wow, I've never seen a girl so beautiful before!" Apparently Chizuru didn't view the woman with scorn but rather lust, for upon first sight, the terribly injured redhead sprung to her feet with life and swiftly approached the stunning blonde. "What's your name, sexy? Do you have a lover? And if not would I be acceptable?"

The strawberry-blonde laughed at the young girl. She seemed deeply flattered, she purred, "It's Rangiku Matsumoto, but 'sexy' is perfectly fine. I don't have a lover… and I don't know… I'm pretty open about trying new things…"

"Wow! Really?! What I wouldn't give to cares your fine silky hair, lovingly massage your beautiful breasts, and make heated love to every inch of your sexy, sexy body, Rangiku…" Chizuru sighed longingly as she encroached upon the other woman even further .Rangiku blushed and continued to laugh.

"Stop that, Chizuru!" Tatsuki shouted, blushing as well at her friend's behavior. She was now gazing at Rangiku as Chizuru was but it wasn't with lust in her eyes. She repeated her earlier question to the man to this woman, "Where is Orihime?"

"O-Orihime…? Oh so you two are Orihime's friends? That's awesome! Me and her are friends too!" Rangiku said, excitedly shaking Tatsuki's hand.

"What have you done with her?!" Tatsuki shouted, making it perfectly clear she had no intention of becoming friends with this woman.

Rangiku shook her head a little. She spoke with just enough force, not becoming intimidated, "We haven't done anything to her. Orihime's become determined to train and become stronger on her own. That's why she left with Rukia to—"

"Rangiku! Is it really best to tell humans details about us?! I'm not sure Captain Hitsugaya would approve of it." The effeminate man, Yumichika, cut his comrade off.

"Tch! They're Orihime's friends. It probably hurts them a lot not knowing what's happening to Orihime. Besides, they can see us in our spirit forms so that means they're going to find out about it all eventually. I don't see any harm in telling them the basics at least…" Rangiku said reasonably, smiling at the two young girls.

"Maybe so, but don't you think telling them should be left to Orihime? It's not right for us to just interfere in their lives like this. We could just tell Orihime to speak with them when she returns from Soul Society." Yumichika argued.

Rangiku sighed, "I suppose you're right. It'll mean a lot more if Orihime tells the two of you herself then it would hearing it from the two of us. I'll make sure to let her know her friends miss her and want to hear from her."

Tatsuki was about to yell back at the woman about how that wasn't good enough, about how she demanded to know right now. Instead Chizuru spoke politely, "Thank you very much, sexy! I'd be so happy to actually hear the truth from my adorable little Hime."

"Good… I'm sorry there's nothing else we can do." Rangiku said apologetically, "If you want, we can call for someone to treat your injuries."

"No thank you. We'll handle that ourselves." Tatsuki replied curtly, dismissively, as if she wanted the black cloaked figures to leave.

"Alright. I suppose we'll be off then. Ikkaku and the Captain are probably waiting for us by now anyways. " Rangiku said, frowning at the spiky-haired girl's attitude. She turned and left along with Yumichika.

"Bye sexy!" Chizuru called out with a wave as Rangiku disappeared instantly.

"You okay?" Tatsuki asked in a growl as she examined her friend's condition. She was standing fine and seemed cheerful but Chizuru was still bleeding from the wounds to her stomach. Her uniform was very badly torn, allowing her pink cotton bra and panties to be visible to the world. Tatsuki noticed she didn't have too bad a figure really.

"I'm a little weak. I wouldn't have minded waiting for their help." Chizuru sighed lightly as she looked at her own wounds.

"You looked fine." Tatsuki insisted, "And how you kept hitting on that woman was getting annoying."

"I'm sorry. I'll try not to make you jealous again." Chizuru laughed.

"Excuse me? I think that monster must have squeezed all the blood to your brain if you honestly believe you interest me." Tatsuki gave her own short laugh.

"I was talking about Hime. You felt jealous for her. You only want me to hit on Hime, right?"

"What are you talking about? Of course I don't want you to hit on Orihime. I want freaks like you to stay as far the hell away from Orihime as possible!" Tatsuki fought back. In an odd way, she knew Chizuru was right. Chizuru's advances on Orihime had become customary. It felt awkward watching Chizuru go after anyone else.

"Really?" Chizuru said in doubt. She smiled as she said while skipping a bit, "Anyway, we should still probably get treated somewhere. Karakura Hospital isn't too far from here."

"No. We'll just manage on our own." Tatsuki insisted angrily. Uryu Ishida's father was director of that hospital, and Uryu was involved. She didn't want to rely on the help of any of _them_.

"You sure. Your hand looks pretty banged up. It might be broken." Chizuru persisted, staring at Tatsuki's still bloodied fist. "We could always go to the Kurosaki Clinic instead."

"Hell no!" Tatsuki responded angrily to the suggestion. The idea of crawling to Ichigo's home for help was actually offensive to her. She repeated, "We'll mange on our own."

"Alright then." Chizuru yielded with a nervous laugh. "But I'm not sure I can make it back to my place all bloody and half naked."

"My place is close to where we are now. We can go there first." Tatsuki suggested as she surveyed her surroundings. The path the monster had chased the two of them down had lead her pretty close to her home.

"Alright. Let's go." Chizuru nodded.

The two remained silent for the short distance back to Tatsuki's home. Entering the place Tatsuki had to quickly explain to her parents how her and Chizuru had gotten into a fight with some thugs and needed to rest a bit. They seemed far more concerned over Chizuru's stomach gashes and lack of clothing than their daughters injured hand. Tatsuki could easily decipher what her parents inferred had happened, that she had bloodied her fist stopping attackers from assaulting Chizuru. She felt she didn't deserve the looks of pride her parents gave her.

After their wounds were cleaned and wrapped, Tatsuki lead Chizuru to her room to retrieve an outfit to borrow. Chizuru looked around with great interest at the sparse, somewhat untidy living area.

"Heh, not every day I get invited into another girl's bedroom." Chizuru said casually as she bent to examine Tatsuki's trophy case.

Tatsuki ignored the comment. Instead she merely said, "Here let me get your clothes."

"Sure." Chizuru said as Tatsuki walked over to her closet. Chizuru continued to look around.

Tatsuki next turned around holing an old outfit she didn't care about. She sought out her friend, who now hovered over her desk, examining something new.

"What... are you looking at… now?" Tatsuki asked as she approached the other from behind.

"You have an even better collection of cute Hime pics than I do…" Chizuru said in awe as she salivated over an assortment of photographs Tatsuki had taken over the years.

"Hey! Don't touch those!" Tatsuki shouted as she tried to snatch the pictures from Chizuru's hands. It was easy for Chizuru to bat away Tatsuki's one good hand.

"Aww… look at this one… Hime looks so cute in her junior high uniform…" Chizuru swooned as she gazed at a really old picture of Orihime.

"That was taken right after we met. It was one of the first pictures I took of her…" Tatsuki said nostalgically, smiling as she looked at the younger incarnation of her best friend.

"Oh how cute… what a strange outfit…" Chizuru said as she looked at a picture of Orihime wearing a pirate costume.

"Yeah I remember that one…" Tatsuki gave a reflective laugh.

"These are all cute too…" Chizuru seemed impressed. "It's kinda odd every single picture just has Hime in it though…"

"Someone has to take the pictures…" Tatsuki explained with a blush, remembering that some pictures of herself were probably lying around somewhere nearby as well..

"Oh, isn't this one the cutest…" Chizuru said as she examined a picture of Orihime licking a decadent looking triple scoop of ice cream.

"Yeah…" Tatsuki laughed, remembering how just after that Orihime had dropped her ice cream.

Chizuru examined the next photo in the stack and her eyes went wide. In this picture, Orihime was relaxing under an umbrella on the beach, wearing a clingy one-piece swimsuit. She spoke in an oddly subtle way, "Aww, isn't Hime the sexiest girl ever…"

"Yeah…" Tatsuki agreed just audibly, her mind already lost on her impure thoughts of the long-ago day at the beach.

"Ha! Caught you!" Chizuru said, slapping Tatsuki on the back.

"What the hell!" Tatsuki looked at the girl, unsure of what was happening.

"Most girls don't fawn over how sexy their best friends are like that…" Chizuru said with a smirk.

Tatsuki gasped. Had she actually let that slip? She tried to defend herself, "It isn't like that! I don't have to be interested in women to realize Orihime is a very attractive girl."

"True. But I don't buy it. I've suspected it for awhile, but now I'm certain of it. Me and you are kindred spirits." Chizuru said slyly.

"That's not..." Tatsuki couldn't think of what to say. It was true. She was like Chizuru. They were the same. What point was there in continuing to lie.

"I always knew there was only one reason for a girl like you to go so far to befriend and protect a girl like her." Chizuru smiled deviously.

"So what if I like her?! Does it even matter?!" Tatsuki blushed furiously and spoke with her eyes averted. It was the first time she had eve admitted it aloud, much less to someone else.

"Yes it matters. Now I know that every beating I take is territorial in nature. It makes me respect you more."

"There's no need to respect me. All I've ever done is lied to everyone: to you, to Orihime, and to myself." Tatsuki spoke harshly.

"I don't think your strategy was any worse than mine. Trying to remain innocent and keeping it all inside while letting yourself get as close to her as possible, that has to beat just throwing everything out there blindly like an idiot." Chizuru took a deep sigh.

"I've been hiding from my true feelings forever. I was scared of them and thought they were disgusting. You at least did something about how you felt. All I ever did was just get in your way." Tatsuki said, ashamed of herself.

"You got in my way because you had to, Tatsuki. You had to protect what mattered to you even if you were afraid of it." Chizuru said in a somber fashion.

"Whatever you say, Chizuru. I just don't see how any of that matters now..." Tatsuki's voice sounded dark.

"She'll come back. She'll explain everything. We'll see that all of this, it's really nothing." Chizuru said with a faint smile. Tatsuki had to wonder if she truly even believed the words she was saying.

"But what if instead she tells us she belongs with them now. That we're useless to her now. That she's outgrown us..." the grimness of the black-haired girl's voice made Chizuru's face pale.

"No matter what happens, as I see it we just have to make the best of it." Chizuru cocked a shy smile.

"How exactly do we do that when there are giant monsters popping up all over." Tatsuki laughed bitterly.

"I don't know... All I know is to start... I'm giving up on Hime..." Chizuru's voice was slow and sad.

"What?! Why?! You like her don't you?! Why would you just give up?! Didn't you say none of the other girls really interested you?!" Tatsuki shouted softly completely unsure of why she was angry.

"It's true that I've always liked Hime, but I don't know if it was ever anything more than something sexual. What you and her have is much deeper. If she comes back to us I don't want to get in the way." Chizuru almost whispered.

"I don't think she's coming back, and if she does it won't be for me."

"If that's what you're convinced of why don't you see about finding a new girlfriend as well?"

"I've never... thought about anyone but Orihime before..." Tatsuki spoke gently.

"That's sweet. Hime sure doesn't know what she's passing up. If a girl was as devoted to me as you are her, I know for sure I wouldn't be hiding any secrets from her..." Chizuru said with a smirk as she finally took the outfit from Tatsuki's hands.

"You're really an odd girl, even when you take away the perversion... 'Tatsuki sighed as she stared down at the stack of photos Chizuru had replaced on the desk.

"You don't have anything cuter than this, do you?" Chizuru asked as she examined the clothing Tatsuki had retrieved for her, a simple T-shirt and some old sweat pants.

"Why's it matter? It's just something for you to wear until you get back home!" Tatsuki spoke, annoyance on her lips.

"You're right." Chizuru gave a short laugh. Tatsuki averted her eyes as the other girl stripped off her shredded clothing and pulled on the shirt and pants. Once dressed Chizuru began walking toward the door; she flashed something before Tatsuki's eyes as she asked with a smirk, "You don't mind if I keep a few of these, just as keepsakes?"

Tatsuki noticed then that the bespectacled girl was holding a few of the photos from her desk. A few sexy ones of Orihime on the beach, a few of her when she was younger, a few just of her smiling. One picture however, wasn't of Oirhime at all. Tatsuki blushed as she recognized it.

"Why are you taking that?!" Tatsuki exclaimed her jaw open. In Chizuru's hand was a photograph of not Orihime but Tatsuki, taken from the same beach excursion that had provided all the great Orihime shots. Tatsuki was wearing a fairly revealing two-piece swimsuit.

"You're joking... I'd have to be crazy to pass up a picture this hot." Chizuru laughed as she gazed at the image. Tatsuki looked at her, stunned and confused as to why she hadn't discarded all the pictures of herself long ago.

"Take whatever you want. I don't care..." Tatsuki growled through her continuing blush, glaring at the redhead.

"Cool." Chizuru smiled as she continued toward the door, photos in hand.. " See ya at school Tatsuki!" she said as she opened the door to leave.

"Yeah see ya." Tatsuki said as the other left She wasted little time before lying back on her bed. It was still fairly early but she was exhausted and her hand still hurt like hell. She felt sleep approaching to bring an end to what had been a bizarre day.

A/N: Sorry again for the delay. I had final exams this week so fanfiction unfortunately couldn't be my top priority. Schools done now though, so I should be able to manage regular updates (though as my free-time is now unstructured, I could potentially get distracted). Anyways, second chapter turned out fairly nice I thought. You know I was this close to having Tatsuki yell in Hitsugaya's face instead of Yumichika's. I decided it would be completely out of character for Hitsugaya to become intimidated even if it does mean I had to pass up a chance to have someone yell at him. I hope the "fight" with the hollow was intense and I hope my angst ridden portrayal of Tatsuki is tolerable and I hope serious Chizuru isn't too OOC and I hope you enjoyed the chapter. You can see Chizuru's interests beginning to change a little even though it's Tatsuki POV (I fought with myself over whether to keep it Tatsuki all the way or do the alternating thing, I decided to keep Tatsuki and just have it be Chizuru POV when I inevitably end up doing the third leg of the triangle, Chizuru X Orihime). Wonder where it will all lead. Anyways, reviews are most appreciated.

My poll asking who the favorite Bleach girls were got a bit of extra time due to my delay. 33 of you got votes in. Results were pretty predictable. Yoruichi was at the top with 16/33 votes that's almost half. Rangiku (15 votes) managed to squeeze Soi Fon (14 votes) for the number two spot. Rukia and little Yachiru followed up tying for fourth with 12. Nemu, Hime, Tatsuki, Retsu, Kukaku, Karin and Nanao all had decent showings as well. Most minor characters didn't do so well but oddly enough everyone got at least one vote.

For the new poll, I'm asking about where I could potentially branch out to. Specifically I'm asking if any interest lies in other fandoms I am familiar with (these are only the fandoms I really know well and would actually be interested in maybe writing something for; I'm familiar with lots more series). I realize it's going to be a big no for most of these categories as most aren't completely mainstream but I'm a little curious. There's one option that I'm expecting to actually do fairly well (which is consequently the reason I'm doing this poll in the first place...). Most likely I"m going to stick with Bleach regardless of the results. Review this chapter. It wants you to review it.


	3. Joining of the Broken

A/N: Alright. Here we go with chapter 3. Please enjoy.

Disclaimer: I just got a brand new ferbroom... but it didn't make me own Bleach.

Tatsuki gave a faint smile as she glanced briefly up at the clouds. As she sat outside Karakura High School enjoying lunch with her friends everything seemed so peaceful, so idyllic. It was hard for her to remember all the unknown, concealed darkness she knew existed in the world. The only part that still teared at her even under this tranquil sky was that the one she cared for was not there to stare up at it with her.

"So, Tatsuki, you really haven't heard from Orihime, then?" the voice of Tatsuki's friend and classmate, Mahana Natsui, forced her attention back to earth.

"Yeah..." Tatsuki sighed, a sad gleam in her eyes.

"I swear, that girl... It's one thing for delinquents like Kurosaki to miss extended periods of school... but for a good student like Orihime..." Ryo Kuneida said, concerned and annoyed at the same time.

"I'm worried... what if she's sick..." Michiru Ogawa said softly, sadly.

"Have you visited her at home, Tatsuki?" Mahana asked.

"Of course, but she never answers the door. I doubt she's even in there..." Tatsuki said in a weary voice.

"That's really scary then. What if she's in the hospital? Did you ask when you went?" Michiru asked in an almost panic.

"I haven't been..." Tatsuki shrugged.

"But your hand..." Michiru stared down at Tatsuki's thickly bandaged right hand.

"I treated this myself. It's no big deal." Tatsuki said, lowly.

"It is a big deal, Tatsuki! This whole school counts on those hands of yours. How are we gonna do in the next Karate tournament when the star of our team won't be able to participate?!" Ryo scolded.

"It'll heal. I haven't been in the mood for competition lately anyways." Tatsuki gave a long, deep sigh. She wasn't in the mood for anything really.

"So how did you hurt your hand, Tatsuki? What's the story?" Mahana inquired.

"It just... happened." Tatsuki was really not even in the mood to talk to her friends.

"What kind of explanation is that, Tatsuki?! Don't they deserve more of the story than that?!" A loud, excited voice called out from behind where Tatsuki sat. She turned to find Chizuru Honsho, who had missed the earlier classes, standing there with a smile on her face.

"Hey Chizuru! So do you know something about it then?" Michiru greeted her friend happily.

"Sure do. Tatsuki hurt her hand standing up and trying to protect me from a vicious monster!" Chizuru announced proudly, leering oddly at the spiky-haired girl.

"Monster?! You don't mean one of those nasty homophobic bastards who like to go after you sometimes?" Ryo scowled, spite clear in her voice.

"Nope this was a real monster. It had impenetrable armor and giant crab claws and was over nine feet tall and twenty feet long!" Chizuru reiterated. Tatsuki laughed and the others looked at her with disbelief clear in their eyes.

"Are you trying to fill Orihime's spot in our group while she's not here, Chizuru?" Michiru tilted her head to the side and asked with a peculiar stare.

"No. I'm being serious!" Chizuru shouted. She then suddenly unbuttoned some of the lower buttons of her uniform shirt and opened it to reveal lots of medical bandaging. "Look, see this is where the monster tore me open with it's giant tail!"

"Oh... such a serious wound to the stomach... how terrible..." Michiru said as she stared up and down the bandaged area.

"I'll let you see further up if you want..." the redhead said in a teasing voice as she fooled with some of the further up buttons to her shirt.

"Those bandages sure look more professional than the old cloth ones you got at my place..." Tatsuki said as she glanced at the other, not completely ignoring the brief flash of pure white cotton before Ryo forcefully closed Chizuru's shirt.

"Well, after I got back from your place I sort of fainted from all the pain and blood loss and stuff...My parents took me to the hospital. I was just released. That's why I didn't show up to school until now." Chizuru explained with a faint smile.

"So was Orihime at the hospital?" Ryo asked suddenly.

Chizuru looked at her oddly. "Why would Orihime be there? Orihime is in another world right now training her super powers with Rukia, or at least that's what I gathered from this really sexy lady and this gay guy yesterday." Again Tatsuki was laughing and the other three were staring at her with due skepticism.

"Rukia...? Why does that name sound familiar...? " Michiru thought aloud.

"Maybe the Orihimeness just rubbed off onto you naturally from all the... rubbing... you've done with Orihime..." Mahana purposed, obviously confused.

"Hmm, I really wouldn't mind being Hime. It'd sure be nice to have a strong and daring girl committed to looking after me all the time..." Chizuru fired a sexy wink in Tatsuki's direction.

"Hey, you, don't say weird stuff like that..." Tatsuki said, gritting her teeth. Her friends all laughed politely.

It was at that moment that the bell signaling the end of the lunch period could be heard ringing from the school nearby. The group of girls all began at once gathering up their things. Just as Tatsuki was prepared to head back to class she felt a hand on her wrist holding her in place.

"Hey, Tatsuki, you got a moment?" Chizuru asked with a serious expression as Tatsuki's head turned to face her. Their other friends were already heading back.

"I guess... depends on what you want..." Tatsuki sighed.

"Oh it's nothing complicated, just a simple request..." Chizuru said elusively, trying the other's nerve.

"Just spill it already," Tatsuki groaned as the redhead's eyes met hers.

"Tatsuki Arisawa, will you go on a date with me?" Chizuru asked with a gigantic smile.

"Making us late to class for stupid jokes..." Tatsuki glared.

"Hey, I was being serious!" Chizuru said with a pout on her face.

"Well then there's probably something seriously wrong with you if you think I'm going to respond to a question so ridiculous." Tatsuki said coldly as she began to walk toward the school. Chizuru put forth an effort to stay a step ahead of her.

"I knew I'd just get pummeled if I tried anything physical with you like I do Hime. And if I just tried to court you slowly I knew you'd likely avoid my advances forever even if you caught them. Being forward and just asking you directly seemed to me like the easiest way to get you to go out with me." Chizuru explained her logic.

"O-kay... but why do you want to go out with me in the first place? Haven't you always said that I'm not your type?" Tatsuki shot the other a questioning glance.

"I never thought you were. After I saw how amazing you were yesterday I changed my mind though. I always thought I was only interested in really cute feminine girls like Hime, but I guess there's still a feminine side to myself that finds the idea of loving someone who is strong and would protect me appealing as well." Chizuru said reflectively, her eyes meeting Tatsuki's again. Her insane smile then broke out as she added, "And thanks to this picture I now no you can be a sexy cute girl too when you want!" Chizuru removed from her breast pocket the photograph of Tatsuki in a skimpy swim suit she had acquired the previous day.

"Why do you have that with you?!" Tatsuki asked, mortified, her face completely red.

"So I can threaten to show it to people if you don't go out with me." Chizuru gave a soft laugh that made it sound as if she was serious.

"What?! You're planing to blackmail me?!" Tatsuki couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Well I didn't think you'd be all that interested in going out with me... I mean I'm not as pretty as Hime is..." Chizuru said with some over the top drama and tears that were obviously false.

"Now you're trying to make me pity you?!"

"Yeah... pretty pathetic, huh... I suppose I can understand if you don't want to go out with me." Chizuru took a long sigh.

"I was gonna say yes." Tatsuki smirked as she spoke.

"W-what?! You were?!" the bespectacled girl seemed stunned.

"I don't know if it'll really go anywhere, but I don't mind killing an evening with you. I don't have anything really better to do. After you explained why you wanted to do this I was prepared to tell you that." Tatsuki laughed at the expression on Chizuru's face. The dazed look was vaguely reminiscent of Orihime.

"O-k-kay? So I guess my... uh... 'back-up tactics'... weren't exactly necessary then..." Chizuru laughed nervously as she replaced her precious picture in her pocket.

"No. They weren't."

"So, um... is tonight fine for our date then...?" The usually forceful girl actually seemed shy.

"Whatever you want. With by hand all busted to hell I happen to have a pretty free schedule at the moment." Tatsuki shrugged.

"Cool. Then let's meet outside your place at six." Chizuru decided excitedly.

"Got it." Tatsuki nodded. She then added, "we should probably hurry. We're already gonna be late." Chizuru nodded and the two began to run.

* * *

Tatsuki sighed as she looked at the clock from her bed. It was quickly approaching six o'clock and her scheduled first date with Chizuru Honsho.

Just something about the whole concept of "first date with Chizuru Honsho" didn't sound quite normal to Tasuki. It was hard convincing herself that she had not made a mistake by accepting this offer. Chizuru hadn't asked to just hang out she had asked for a romantic date. Tatsuki had no experience with such things. A few of her private outings with Orihime she had maybe considered dates in the past but it was rather obvious Orihime hadn't viewed them that way.

So why one earth had she agreed to going out with Chizuru, a first-class pervert who had always ended up on the other side of Tatsuki's fist? It was true that the last couple days Tatsuki had seen sides of Chizuru she hadn't know existed before, vulnerable sides, sides that Tatsuki could relate to. Maybe it was this ability to relate then, the fact that Tatsuki knew her and Chizuru could understand each other. Then again, maybe she was just lonely without Orihime.

As the hands of the clock continued to move Tatsuki reluctantly went about preparing herself for the evening. She chose casual clothing, nothing fancy, just some jeans and a black shirt. It was just before six when she finished getting ready. It was three minutes after six when she walked out her front door.

Chizuru was waiting there as promised. She too was wearing simple casual clothes, a cute white shirt and jeans as well. She smiled widely as Tatsuki appeared before her.

"Cute look, even if I miss seeing you in the skirt..." Chizuru said as she eyed the other intently.

"Whatever... you ready to do this?" Tatsuki said rolling her eyes a bit, incognizant of the fact that she was blushing slightly.

"Oh yes! Me and Tatsuki's first date! This is going to be so much fun!" Chizuru said energetically as she began walking down the street. Tatsuki walked with her.

"That's good to know..." Tatsuki said sarcastically.

"Hey, you did agree to go out with me! Don't be afraid to have fun!" the redhead gave a bit of a scowl.

"I know." Tatsuki smiled faintly.

A brief moment of silence was allotted before Chizuru asked with a smile, "So what should we do Tatsuki?"

"How should I know?! Don't you have some plan?" Tatsuki said, annoyed. She had a feeling this evening was going to turn out to be an _interesting_ one.

"Oh... well I was going to just leave it up to you... I don't have any good ideas..." Chizuru said meekly.

"Well I don't even know how this is supposed to work! I've never been on a date before," the black-haired girl said forcefully but awkwardly.

"Well, that makes two of us then," Chizuru admitted shyly with a nervous laugh.

"Okay... so do you at least have some idea what's supposed to happen with these sorts of things?" Tatsuki felt a little embarrassed.

"Well if it's anything like it is in manga and TV and stuff then it's pretty much just the same as hanging out with a friend, except you have along term goal of, after enough dates, getting that 'friend' to take off all her clothes and have sex with you." Chizuru grinned intensely.

"Uh, don't get ahead of yourself..." Tatsuki murmured with a cool laugh.

"Oh? Does that mean I shouldn't even bother asking that we just skip the date part and go back to my bedroom instead?" Chizuru said with an overtly sexual tone to her voice.

"Yeah. Pretty much." Tatsuki gave the other a violent stare.

"Fine! Fine! I get it!"Chizuru said insistently, noticing the malicious intent in the tomboy's eyes. She then returned to conversation to its previous point, asking, "so what should we do?"

"We could just go see a movie, that'd be pretty easy." Tatsuki suggested after a moments thought.

"Tch, boring. Don't you have anything better than that?" Chizuru dismissed the notion.

"Okay... well what if we just go eat dinner...somewhere..."

"Lame! Come on, we need to do something more creative than that."

"Well then why don't you think of something then?!" Tatsuki sad with a glare.

"You could go back and get your sexy swimsuit and we could go to the beach and snuggle together while we watch the sunset..." Chizuru's eyes were sparkling at the image.

"I think I'll be skipping that..." the spiky-haired girl growled under her breath.

"Well we could go to the amusement park then and we could ride in the ferris wheel and watch fireworks while holding each other closely..." Chizuru continued to swoon over her mental pictures.

Tatsuki stared at the girl in disbelief. She decided to simply say, "It's probably too late to be heading to some place like that."

"Yeah... you're probably right.. that's more a whole day thing..." Chizuru sighed.

"You got any more simple ideas?"

"We could go to the mall and I cold pick out some outfits that I want you to wear." the aggressive lesbian smirked.

"Something tells me I don't want to see the outfits you want me to wear..." Tatsuki spoke under her breath again.

"You probably don't..." Chizuru admitted distantly, her brain obviously lost to some perverted thought that would likely frighten the other.

"I'm not much for shopping anyways," Tatsuki laughed.

"How about the arcade then, that sound like fun?" the black-haired girl was surprised to find the other for the first time suggesting something that wasn't in some way perverted.

Orihime was hopeless when it came to understanding anything electronic so Tatsuki never really did get to spend much time in the local arcades. It was a good idea and sounded like fun but she still had to refuse. "I doubt I'd be much good at video games with only one hand, Chizuru."

"Oh. That's right. I guess that cuts out the possibility of bowling and min-golf too than..." Chziuru sighed sadly.

"You weren't honestly going to suggest stuff like that were you...?" Tatsuki stared at the girl as if she were insane.

"Nope. Of course I wasn't." Chizuru smiled fully. Tatsuki began to laugh.

"So for our date are we just going to wander around aimlessly arguing over what our date should be?" Tatsuki asked, oddly amused.

"That's what it looks like... hope you don't mind..." Chizuru looked at her feet as they moved.

"It's not the least bit unpleasant. I kinda like long walks..." Tatsuki put her left hand on Chizuru's shoulder as she spoke causing that girl to look up. They were both smiling.

"That's good to hear. I'm enjoying just talking..." Chizuru looked down quickly.

"Even though were really not talking about anything important?" Tatsuki snickered.

"It's hard to find anything good to say that doesn't involve Hime." Chizuru sighed.

"The two of us really are hopeless, aren't we?" Tatsuki gave a bitter laugh.

"I like you Tatsuki. You're cool, fun to talk to, and pretty cute. I didn't ask you out just so we could mope together." Chizuru said in a crisp voice making Tatsuki stop and look at her.

"You're a very likable person too, Chizuru, even if it took me till yesterday to figure that one out..." Tatsuki took a serious tone as well.

The two were silent for an extended period of time. Tatsuki was lost in thoughts that didn't even really piece together. Chizuru seemed lost in thought as well. The sun was beginning to set already. The street they were currently walking was deserted save for them. Tatsuki had to wonder if it had really been so long since they left.

Just as she was about to suggest that they begin heading back, Chizuru stopped in place and opened her mouth to speak. In a low quiver she asked, "Tatsuki, will you ever let go of Hime?"

Tatsuki was taken aback by the question but wasted no time in answering it as she stopped as well, " No. Never."

"So... is this hopeless than... should I give up on you as well?"Chizuru looked so vulnerable as she asked this.

"No. I won't ever let go of Orihime completely, she's special to me and always will be... But my heart could easily be bent to hold more than one..." Tatsuki blushed. The line she uttered sounded unbearably cheesy to her.

"You think you'll be able to move on then, in case Orihime continues to drift away?" Chizuru asked somberly but with a content smile.

"I hope so. I really, honestly hope I can." Tatsuki said miserably.

"Kiss me." Chizuru whispered as she closed the gap between herself and the other.

"Excuse me? I thought I told you not to get ahead of yourself," Tatsuki delivered her lines gently, without any of the usual bite.

"I'm not forcing you to do anything more. Just a simple kiss. I want to help. I want to keep you from becoming miserable..." Chizuru demanded softly. Her eyes told that she was quite serious about this.

Tatsuki was nervous. She hadn't ever kissed someone before. She had fantasized about kissing Orihime before but had never even come close to a real kiss. She was scared but she also was hopeful. She wanted to fill the emptiness in her heart, she wanted to cast away her misery, she wanted to move on. She didn't think this would work. She was at least willing to give it a try.

"Okay." Tatsuki said softly, blushing profusely.

"Really? Awesome!" Chizuru's cute smile reformed. Suddenly it became easy. Tatsuki closed the rest of the gap between the two of them and brought her lips to those of the other girl. Her arms found the girl's back as her lips pressured pleasantly against Chizuru's soft ones. It felt nice. It felt right.

Then it felt weird. One of Chizuru's hands found its way to the backside of Tatsuki's upper thigh while the other cupped one of her breasts. Very soon after that Chizuru's tongue flew lustfully across Tatsuki's lips, prying them open forcefully until Tatsuki's own tongue emerged to meet it.

With much reluctance Tatsuki kissed the girl back passionately. She was unsure why she was doing it. It was definitely the wrong sort of kiss for their first. It was also definitely not the simple one the other had promised. Tatsuki figured that she just didn't care anymore, that's why she was allowing this to happen.

Eventually Chizuru was thoroughly satisfied with herself and pulled aways. Tatsuki knew her face was deep red and saliva was trickling from her lip. She sighed and laughed lightly as she spoke, "That's your idea of a simple kiss?"

"I thought you'd stop me..." Chizuru actually seemed quite surprised.

"I just thought I'd let you have your way for once..." Tatsuki growled and continued to blush.

"You protect Hime much better than you protect yourself." Chizuru laughed.

"I know." Tatsuki smirked.

"So did you like it?" Chizuru asked licking her lips.

"What?" Tatsuki looked away and pretended she was clueless. She didn't want to admit to anything.

"The kiss. Personally I loved it. I'm guessing you liked it too with how good you kissed me back..." the redhead said almost teasingly.

"I guess... it was sorta... _fun_..." Tatsuki admitted feebly.

"If you want we could head back to my place and do more _fun_ things." Chizuru cooed sensually.

"I think I'd rather take this 'moving on' thing one step at a time." Tatsuki gave a hard laugh as she turned and began walking. .

"Cool. Sounds like a plan." Chizuru smiled. Tatsuki was looking down at the ground in front of them but she was smiling brightly as well.

A/N: let's end this chapter and begin the longest author's note ever. Okay so this was a cute fluffy romance chapter. A bit of a departure from the story thus far. I thought it was needed. This is a Tatsuki X Chizuru fic after all, not a Tatsuki and Chizuru miss Orihime fic. With the date scene, how I have it is kind of how the conceptualizing stage went. I kept trying to come up with some good idea as to what they should go do but couldn't come up with anything, so instead i had them just walk around trying to think up something to do. I tried to keep most of the dialog light and humorous in this chapter. I hope it wasn't boring. In the first scene I had a hard time remembering what the personalities of their friends were like (I remembered they didn't have much personality in the first place). I seem to remember Ryo being serious and outspoken, Mahana being cheery and talkative, and Michiru being shy and cute, but I might just be assigning them personalities there based on appearance. Overall I think this chapter was cute. It did a fair enough job of building the relationship and puts me in a good place for the fourth chapter. Tell me what you think. I love reviews.

Okay, now I am going to ramble on about my reader poll for awhile so you can feel free to leave now (and go review). I have a hard time believing the sort of response my last poll got. The poll, asking what series people might be interested in seeing me write for, which was only left up for the usual one week, received an astonishing total of 50 unique voters who cast 115 total votes. I am simply stunned that there are so many people who actually care about what I do. Of course almost half of those voters were just the rabid Naruto fans who mobilized seeing this as a possible opportunity to drag me back to their side and make me forcibly pull more uninspired Naruto fanfics out of my brain. Needless to say, the fact that I made you sound like an idiot when you chose the Naruto option, should make it rather obvious that I was going to ignore that option no matter how many votes it got.

Okay, to be honest, the rest of the poll, really, truly surprises me. I had initially put this poll up because I had a good Death Note idea running around in my head and was curious as to how many fans would follow me to it (apparently only ten of you...). I didn't expect most of the choices to get very much attention at all. Maybe just a few stray votes here and there. Imagine my surprise when I see there are more readers who would potentially want to see me do a Soul Calibur fic than there are who want me to just stick firmly with Bleach. Mai-HiME and Fire Emblem surprised me by getting very nice numbers of votes as well. I guess I shouldn't be surprised with HiME since it's pretty much a staple of the yuri community but I didn't think most of my fans watched stuff that wasn't on TV. As for SC and FE, I guess their success proves that video games are more universal than anime, go figure. Haruhi did alright and Claymore did much better than expected. A personal favorite series of mine, Code Geass, was pretty much drowned by the other options with only 6 out of the 50 voting for it. I guess I just have to give the series some time to become popular though, Adult Swim has only gotten up to the fourth episode of the English broadcast so far.

So now I think I'm going crazy. I'm probably going to write at least one more Bleach story before I do anything weird but now you people have convinced me somehow that it's okay to do stuff for other series. Death Note didn't do as well as I hoped but I still have my idea and likely will get to it. Now it looks like I'll be doing a couple Soul Calibur fics as well. I'm insanely pumped for SC IV this July (by which time I will have secured the funding for a PS3 so I can play it), so I might get compelled pretty easily to write some SC stuff. Those girls are probably some of the hottest girls in any series... and they have weapons... So don't be surprised if you see a Sophitia X Cassandra story form me sometime this summer (yes, I would make my introduction to the series with sister incest... there's nothing wrong with that, is there...?). And once SC IV does come out there might be a couple more. It will be hard for me to resist Hilde (who due to my strange fetish for girls in armor is the number one reason I'm excited about the game... yeah, more than Darth Vader... I know... I'm a sad person). Next time I watch Mai-HiME or play Fire Emblem I now know it's safe to write the stray Nao X Yuakariko or Marcia X Astrid ideas down and maybe work with them if I'm so inspired to as well.

So thank you everyone who voted, the current poll is something simple that I've thought about and just thought I 'd ask you all real quick. I'm asking if you think it's a good idea for me to attempt to write something in the first person. Please note that I will still make the call as to what perspective I use based on the particulars of that story. Anyways, enough rambling. If you're still reading this you're strange. Go review already.


	4. A Deliberate Progression

A/N: This is the fourth chapter.

Disclaimer:My ferbroom really likes this chapter... but I don't own Bleach.

Tatsuki Arisawa gave a melancholy sigh as she walked down the halls of Karakura High School after class. Ever since her first date with Chizuru she had been trying her hardest to move on, to abandon that great desire of hers that seemed likely to never be quenched, finding love with her best friend Orihime Inoue.

Of course it was just the desire she wanted to abandon, not Orihime herself. Orihime held a special place in Tatsuki's heart and Tatsuki had no desire to cast the girl out. Of course that made giving up on love with Orihime a terribly troubling prospect. This was especially true when she was forced to attend this school where her and Orihime had so many memories, where much of the day was wasted away staring at Orihime's empty chair.

"Damn Ichigo, where the heck does he just vanish off to all the time? We're his friends aren't we? Shouldn't he tell us stuff?!" A loud, whiny male voice brought Tatsuki out of her deep brooding thoughts. She turned to find her classmates Keigo Asano and Mizuiro Kojima conversing with one another in the hall. She stood out of the way and listened for awhile.

"I think you and me both know there's more to it than meets the eye. Ichigo's protecting us from something he doesn't want us to know about." Mizuiro replied to his friend calmly.

"Yeah...I've seen all that stuff too," Keigo said, "but I still don't like it. I mean Ichigo goes and tells strong guys like Chad, smart guys like Uryu, and cute girls like Orihime everything. Why doesn't he tell us? We're his best friends, right?"

"Maybe it has to do with neither of us being particularly strong or smart and neither of us being a cute girl." Mizuiro replied lightly, with a sarcastic air.

"I just don't like it. I don't like not knowing anything. It's like he doesn't trust us." Keigo said firmly, crossing his arms. Tatsuki gave a faint smile. Even if it was someone like Keigo Asano it still felt good to know she wasn't alone in her suffering.

"What about you Tatsuki? What's your take on this whole mess?" Mizuiro said, surprising the girl. She hadn't been hiding but she also hadn't realized her presence was known.

"It pisses me off. Ichigo thinks he's protecting us by leaving us in the dark but instead he's just leaving us blind to the very real danger we face." Tatsuki spoke bitterly, flexing the muscles of her bandaged hand to remind herself of the most recent physical harm that had been visited upon her by the otherworldly monsters. It had been a week since she injured her hand and truthfully there wasn't much pain left in it.

"So you see them too, the white-faced monsters?" Keigo asked with a degree of excitement.

"Yeah I've seen 'em. And real up close too." Tatsuki fumed. Even if she was trying to move on, the issue of Ichigo and the mysterious monsters was one that infuriated her to no end.

"Close? You don't mean you've actually been directly confronted by one of those things?"Mizuiro was surprised.

"Those things have attacked me actually a few times." Tatsuki gave a dark laugh "How'd you think I busted up my hand?"

"Whoa! No way! I thought you did that practicing karate. Your hand was really attacked by one of them?" Keigo was impressed.

"Not exactly. It'd be more correct to say I busted up my hand attacking one of them." Tatsuki said with a nervous smile as she recalled her pathetic struggle against the masked beast.

"That's crazy! Even if you're like some bad-ass black-belt karate champion that's not going to do anything against that type of opponent. You need a black robe and giant sword like Ichigo!" Keigo's eyes were wide.

"Has Orihime told you anything?" Mizuiro asked with a sigh, "Has she told you any part of the truth?"

Tatsuki looked at the man for a second before replying in a grim voice, "No. She hasn't told me anything."

"That must really hurt. You and her are closer than either of us is with Ichigo," Mizuiro said in a taciturn fashion.

"Hey, speak for yourself, Mizuiro. My friendship with Ichigo is deep!" Keigo declared proudly; his friend laughed at him.

"It's painful. I don't like not knowing where Orihime could be, when she could be in danger," Tatsuki spoke in a low voice.

"Dammit, that Ichigo! It's about time the three of us do something. What do you say about tomorrow us doing a massive full scale search of the entire town until we find Ichigo and get him to tell us what's happening?!" Keigo said with intensity.

"I'll pass. Sounds impossible and exhausting." Mizuiro said bluntly as if he was insulting the other.

"Well, what about you Tatsuki? Let's search all of Karakura Town till we find some clue to what's happening!" Keigo said, brimming with energetic stupor.

"No thank you. I'm busy tomorrow." Tatsuki sighed. The next day was scheduled to be her and Chizuru's fourth date together. Of course running around like an idiot with Keigo Asano wouldn't have been high on her to-do list even if she had a fairly blank schedule.

"Busy? Come on, I can't search the all of Karakura Town by myself! What could you possibly have to do with your hand all busted like that on a Saturday?" The boy didn't yield.

"Nothing..." Tatsuki said almost at once, a light blush appearing on her face.

"Nothing? So what, you don't care about finding Ichigo and solving these mysteries, or you just don't like me?" Keigo pouted.

In truth Tatsuki really didn't like Keigo so much, but she did very much desire finding Ichigo, kicking his ass and forcing him to tell everything. Still, she had promised Chizuru the date already.

"Could it be you just don't want to tell us what you have planned for tomorrow?" the less annoying male purported slyly.

"Y-yeah... something like that..." Tatsuki said blushing deep this time. No one outside of her circle of friends knew about her and Chizuru yet and she intended to keep it that way.

"Ooh, Tatsuki has a hot date..." Keigo chimed as he smiled stupidly. Tatsuki smacked him in the face with her good hand.

"Shut up!" She shouted while the boy gripped his jaw.

"So who's this lucky guy?" Keigo's relentless curiosity seemed to provoke him to further questions despite the fact that his lip was bleeding.

"Shut up! There aren't any guys..." Tatsuki didn't let out another punch but rather just said the conveniently true words violently through gritted teeth.

"Oh now you're trying to conceal stuff from us too?" Keigo said as if angered.

"Ever thought that maybe it's none of your business, Keigo?" Mizuiro said under his breath.

"B-but aren't you curious as to what type of guys someone like Tatsuki would like?"

"Not particularly." The black-haired boy shrugged.

Keigo glared at his friend a moment before turning back to Tatsuki. "Oh come on, you can at least tell me if it's someone in our class, right?"

"No." Tatsuki said coldly. She wasn't about to give someone like Keigo Asano any sort of hint that she was seeing Chizuru. In fact she was done with these fools. She turned to walk away from then. That's when a familiar sound hit her ears.

"Tatsuki!" Chizuru shouted as she rushed towards Tatsuki, stopping just short of jumping atop her as she used to Orihime. She smiled as she put a hand to the spiky-haired girl's cheek.

"Chizuru, what are you doing here?!" Tatsuki gasped out, her face completely red.

"Oh nothing. Just thought I'd find you and make sure you hadn't forgotten about tomorrow." The redhead chimed in a teasing voice.

"Yes! I remember. You can leave now." Tatsuki said hastily, almost demandingly. Chizuru looked behind her reluctant girlfriend and spied her two classmates

"Aww, you're embarrassed at having anyone else find out. How cute..." Chizuru swooned and Tatsuki's cheeks turned an even darker red.

"What's Tatsuki have to be embarrassed about?" Keigo asked obliviously.

Mizuiro glanced at him in a fashion that seemed to silently call him an idiot. He then spoke to the girls, "Certainly an interesting way for things to turn out... From my impression of how you two typically get along it seems like it would be an abusive relationship."

"It's not much of a relationship at all. It's only been a week." Tatsuki's voice became so meek and shy.

"What relationship? What's going on?" Keigo asked, clueless. Now everyone shot him a "you're an idiot" look..

"Even with the tomboy attitude it's surprising to find out this is where your interests lie, Tatsuki. And Chizuru, it's just surprising that you would ever give up on Orihime." Mizuiro gave a soft laugh.

"Is there something wrong with it?!" Chizuru asked as if angered. Mizuiro shook his head.

"Of course not. It's actually probably a pretty good match. Hope it works out," the black-haired boy said with a kind smile.

"Thanks." Chizuru smiled as well. She turned to her date and said with an enthusiastic nod, "Tatsuki, let's go."

"R-right..." Tatsuki murmured, still somewhat embarrassed.

As the two girls began walking off Tatsuki could hear Keigo asking his friend, "What was that all about?"

"You really can be a little thick some times," Mizuiro sighed, "Chizuru and Tatsuki are dating each other."

"But they're both—," Keigo cut himself off when it seemed to all sink in. Tatsuki sighed as she realized that with the knowledge in Keigo Asano's big mouth it wouldn't be long before the whole school knew about her new relationship. The more she thought about it, and the stronger Chizuru's grip on her hand got, the more she didn't care.

* * *

It was early Saturday morning, the sky was a perfect cloudless blue and the sun was shining brilliantly. Tatsuki looked nervously at her feet as she waited in front of Chizuru's house for the girl to emerge. The "date" label still unnerved her even though this was now their fourth. Since the first date they had actually taken to doing things together. The second date had been a movie, the third a dinner at a nice restaurant. For this date, their first full day date, Chizuru had actually managed to coax Tatsuki into venturing to a nearby beach to enjoy the sun, waves and each other's company.

"Tatsuki! You ready?!" Chizuru called out excitedly as she rushed toward her girlfriend. Tatsuki smiled at her. She wore a packed, heavy looking backpack on her back. Tatsuki gave her a brief peck on the lips before taking the pack and draping it over her back instead.

"Ooh, wow... I have a feeling today is gonna be lots of fun," Chizuru said dreamily at the brief kiss. Tatsuki slowly saw their hands interlocked.

"Yeah, should be nice. The weather's perfect at least." Tatsuki said. The dating thing still made her nervous but she was actually genuinely excited about the day.

"Yep. Now let's get going. It's not too long a walk to the station, " Chizuru said as they began moving briskly through Karakura Town. They were headed to a nearby train station, where they would find passage on a train headed for the coast.

"Yeah, but this certainly seems like an awful lot of trouble to go through just so you can see me in my swim suit..." Tatsuki murmured. She knew very well the other's motivation.

"You're wearing the same one in the picture, right?" Chizuru asked hopefully.

"Yeah..." Tatsuki blushed and sighed. She could feel the skimpy two piece swim suit against her skin underneath her t-shirt and shorts.

"I can't wait to see how it looks on you in person..." the redhead was bursting with excitement.

"Well, I'm sure I won't mind seeing what sort of thing you're gonna wear as well," Tatsuki said with a soft smile, still blushing.

"Oh believe me I'll make sure you get plenty to look at," Chizuru said with a sexy tone of voice.

"I can't wait," Tatsuki sighed, making it hard to tell if the words were truthful or sarcastic. Chizuru's hand tilted her head upward bringing her into a kiss with just a little tongue.

"Mmm, me neither... Just thinking about being able to stare at your nearly-exposed sexy body all day has me wanting to kiss you and rub you all over." Chizuru cooed desperately.

"Remember, 'one step at a time', Chizuru, " Tatsuki gave her typical retort since she started dating Chizuru. She knew a part of her long since desired to give into the other girl's perversion.

"I know, I know; it's only been a week. I'm just excited. It was sudden and happened quickly... but it actually happened... as opposed to anything with Hime..." Chizuru spoke somberly, her head held low.

"I understand how you feel, Chizuru. I just..." the black haired girl had a distant quality to her voice.

"I understand you as well, Tatsuki. Why you're hesitant to change and move forward. Why you don't want anything to happen. Why you don't want everyone to know right away." Chizuru spoke softly.

"Okay, so if you understand, why do you keep putting me in embarrassing situations in front of people at school." Tatsuki said with a bit of a leer.

"Do you really care if Mizuiro Kojima and Keigo Asano know you're a lesbian?" the bespectacled girl gave a hard laugh.

"Hey, it wasn't just them you know. You did the same thing the other day with Michiru and the others," the spiky haired tomboy said, reflecting on a relatively awkward lunch conversation a few days before, "Mahana already won't look at me the same way."

"Everyone will accept it eventually. You don't have to worry. No one will even care..." Chizuru said brightly.

"My parents will care..." Tatsuki said in a very low voice as she stared at her feet.

"Tch, so what? Still gotta tell 'em. Even if it was an ideal world for you and it was Hime and not me, you'd still end up in the same conversation eventually. They can't do anything about who you are " Chizuru's words caused the other to look up and stare at her soft smile.

"How did you do it?" Tatsuki asked, curiosity apparent.

"I didn't." Chizuru replied, shortly.

"What do you mean?"

"I didn't tell them. They found out on their own." Chizuru clarified , a wide smile forming on her lips.

"How'd they do that?" Tatsuki asked, a solemn tone to her voice.

"One day dad was tearing apart my room looking for a stapler when he stumbled upon my hidden collection of hot yuri ero-doujinshi." Chizuru recounted causing the serious look on the other's face to vanish and be replaced by laughter.

"Figure's yours wouldn't be a typical 'coming out' story..." Tatsuki sighed. "So what did they say about it?"

Well first they asked me why I had the stuff and I told them 'because it's sexy'. Then they said, 'but there are only girls in these manga' and I replied, 'girls are sexy' and then they were like, 'but you still like boys, right?' and I was like, 'no, not really; girls are sexy.'" Chizuru explained with energy. Tatsuki put her head in her hand and laughed softly.

"How long did it take for them to get used to it?" Tatsuki asked, once she had reclaimed her composure.

"Not long. Once the initial shock and disappointment sunk in, things were back to normal in less than a month. Now they're used to it; Mom was actually happy for me when I told her I finally got a girlfriend last week," Chizuru said with a soft laugh.

"Is that so?"

"Yep. She even said she'd like to meet you."

"Heh, 'one step at a time', Chizuru..." Tatsuki said despondently, a content smile on her face.

A silence soon fell between the two of them as they continued to walk. It wasn't a bad or awkward silence but more of a pleasant one. Neither of them was particularly looking for anything to say but rather was content with not saying anything. Tatsuki would just walk ahead, thinking to herself how preferable being with Chizuru was to being all alone. This wasn't the type of silence that was brought to a hurried end. This was the type of silence one wanted to last for awhile. Unfortunately, thought neither girl broke it herself, it didn't last.

A shrill shriek sounded through the air causing both girls to stop in place. Tatsuki looked ahead in fear of the inhuman sound and what it's source might be. Within seconds a fast-moving body was flying towards the two of them.

"Chizuru, let's run!" Tatsuki said forcefully as she grabbed the other's hand tightly. They turned swiftly and began running back in the direction they had come.

Tatsuki put all she had into running. She didn't know what was following her but she knew it wasn't human. It was one of them, she could only hypothesize, one of the white-faced monsters. She couldn't see it as it chased her but she could hear it and she could feel it, and she knew it was gaining on them rapidly.

Chizuru looked scared and as if she were becoming exhausted; Tatsuki firmed her grip on her hand. Their flying pursuer continued its chase at length. The people they passed on the street must have found it odd seeing two girls running hand-in-hand for their lives from an invisible threat. Soon the monster's cries were so loud that Tatsuki knew at once it was at her back. As it made a sweep at them, she pinned the other girl down onto the hard concrete. The beast flew so closely over them that it ripped the heavy backpack straight from Tatsuki's back.

"Oh... god..." Chizuru said out of breath as she looked up at Tatsuki, her face a mess of panicked emotion.

Tatsuki on the other hand was looking up at their attacker. This monster had a bird-like look to it. It had very short arms and legs that looked to be composed of razor-sharp blades, and very pronounced heavy wings. It had a flat white face and a strange circular hole at its center like any of the others. Tatsuki stared it down with hate in her eyes as she clenched her bandaged hand.

Never breaking her glare, Tatsuki got to her feet. Forcefully she yanked the bandages from her still slightly numb right hand. She was prepared to bust her hand to hell again if she need ed to. She wasn't about to let this monster win without a fight.

The monster screeched in delight as it made a sweep at Tatsuki. Tatsuki looked at it and then she looked at Chizuru on the floor. The hate in her was so intense at that moment it was overwhelming. Her hand clenched hard into a fist. As the monster reared it's talons her fist plunged mightily at its underbelly.

The beast screamed in agony as it used its wings to recoil. It began to snarl as it tried to recover from the blow. It wasn't given enough time though. While it was still stunned from Tatsuki's attack a second attack came from behind as a blunt object was forced against it. The monster fell out of the air and to the ground. As it began to dissipate, the thing that had hit it rolled before Tatsuki's eyes. It was a soccer ball.

"Hmm, that one was pretty weak..." said a nearby girl's voice. Tatsuki looked in the direction of the voice. She sighed as she realized her savior was Ichigo's ten year old kid sister, Karin Kurosaki.

"Karin! How did you do that?" Tatsuki asked once she realized how surprising it should be.

"I don't know exactly. I kick it hard enough and it can take out the weak ones sometimes. It's only 'cause of that blow you gave it that I got such a clear shot though, Tatsuki," the young girl said in a low voice.

"Did... did, I-Ichigo teach you how to fight them?" Tatsuki asked with a bit of a stutter. Chizuru began to brush herself off and find her feet.

"Please. That good-for-nothing brother of mine won't even tell me anything, much less actually teach me something," Karin replied snidely.

"So you don't know what's happening either?" Chizuru asked. She looked around the scene disappointedly. The monster had ripped apart the backpack she had prepared. Food and shredded towels were scattered everywhere

"I've at least picked up the basics of it all," the young girl said in a relaxed fashion.

"Please tell us what you know, Karin." Tatsuki said at once.

"Heh, fine," Karin said as if feeling pressed, "Shinigami. That's what Ichigo and Rukia are. The thing we just fought is apparently called a hollow. I don't know much more than that."

"S-shingami..." Chizuru shook at the word.

"Do you know what Orihime's part in all of this is?" Tatsuki asked, less phased by the new terminology.

"I wasn't even aware she had a part," Karin shrugged, "I said that was all I know."

"Thanks anyway," Tatsuki said with a distant expression.

"No problem" Karin said as she kicked the soccer ball up and caught it in her arms.

Once the young girl had left, Tatsuki allowed her focus to go to what Chizuru's had been on for some time.

"Let's clean this up." Tatsuki said under her breath as she stared at the mess around them. Chizuru looked at her.

"So much for our perfect date!" Chizuru spat angrily. The anger wasn't directed at Tatsuki but just more at the world in general.

"I don't know if the beach will happen now, but we can still manage something." Tatsuki tried to reassure the other as she began to collect their scattered beach supplies.

"And I was really looking forward to this one!" Chizuru shouted, seemingly aggravated as hell.

"Look, it'll be okay. It sucks it turned out like this, but we just have to make the best of it," Tatsuki said, taking a comforting voice typically reserved for dealing with Orihime.

"Yeah? And how do we do that?" Chizuru said, a frown hard on her lips.

"We'll go somewhere else. We can go anywhere you want," Tatsuki offered, letting her hand find Chizuru's.

"You promise?" Chizuru smirked deviously.

"W-what...? Y-yeah... I guess so..." Tatsuki said hesitantly, remembering Chizuru and Orihime's minds worked in very different ways.

"Great! In that case, I say we go in there!" Chizuru said with a enthusiastic point of finger. The black haired girl followed the motion and for the first time took in her surroundings.

The hollow had chased them all the way back to their starting point. They were standing in front of Chizuru's house. It was that very house at which the girl pointed.

"Chizuru, that's your house... what exactly are we going to do in there?" Tatsuki asked, in a low voice. She pretty much already had an idea of what Chizuru wanted to do.

"My parents are out of town for the weekend and I think it seems like a pretty good opportunity to show you my bedroom." Chizuru said with sexual intentions well defined.

Tatsuki sighed before deciding on her tired line,"Chizuru, 'one step at a—'."

Chizuru cut her off before she could finish, a serious expression graced her face as she said rather forcefully, "If you take enough steps you eventually get somewhere, Tatsuki. It's about time we stop staying still." A wild smile then graced the girl's face as she said in a much lighter fashion, "Besides, you did just promise you'd take me anywhere."

Tatsuki didn't know what to say. She didn't know how to protest. She didn't even know if she wanted to protest. "Let's go, Tatsuki," was all she heard as Chizuru grabbed her hand Slowly she was being lead toward the girl's home, unsure of whether she was frightened or eager at what might happen next.

A/N: Urgh, I'm late again. I really wanted to get this chapter out Friday since I knew I wasn't going to be able to get to a computer over the long weekend, but I just kept fighting with myself over it. I actually initially had them making it to the beach but decided against it since it really wouldn't be so interesting and this way I have an incredible set-up for the lemon next chapter. That's right, second time in a row I've waited till the final chapter for the sex. I was initially going to have it in this chapter but decided it would work better in the fifth. I had another brief fight in my mind over who should come to their aid with the hollow. I didn't want it to be another of the shinigami from Hitsugay's group and it couldn't be one of the main characters since they're supposed to all be busy training at the moment. I thought heavily about it being Yoruichi or maybe one of the other of the Urahara shop crowd, but decided in the end Karin would work best, because just like Keigo and Mizuiro she's another victim of Ichigo's secrets. Even if I was conflicted by this chapter I ended up liking it. Tatsuki and Chizuru's relationship is cute. Chizuru is just so much fun. I'd like reviews.

Okay, now about the poll. Vote was pretty well split. 11 say I should stay away from 1st person. 7 eagerly await a 1st person story from me, and seven say they don't mind either way. Essentially the slight majority of you would not mind me doing a 1st person story. I probably will eventually if I find a good pairing for it. When I inevitably end up doing Chizuru X Orihime (which hopefully won't be for a while) I just might do it first person from Chizuru's POV. It's good to know all my readers are passing English class or are at least willing to lie about it on an anonymous online poll.

Now unfortunately due to my delay it might be a shortened voting window for the new poll. Kinda sucks since it's an important one. Again I'm asking what pairing I should do next. This time to change it up a little I'm asking you to select the pairs from the list you don't want to see me do rather than the ones you do. Oh and don't not vote just because you don't hate any of the pairings and think they would all be fine; when I ask what pairings you want there are some you don't vote for. This si pretty much the same thing just reversed. So go vote and review. Reviews are nice. I like reviews.


	5. Filling the Void

A/N: This will be the final chapter. It will contain adult material some may find inappropriate. The rest of you, please enjoy.

Disclaimer: My Ferbroom just separated from me forever because I don't own Bleach.

Tatsuki's nerves were clearly visible as she progressed slowly through Chizuru's house for the first time. The excited smirk on the face of the girl who's arm intertwined with her own only served to heighten her apprehension. She didn't know what was to happen. She was scared of what _might_ happen. She was terrified of taking the next step. She was terrified of what it would mean.

"Here it is: my bedroom!" Chizuru squealed gleefully as they approached a door. Tatsuki gave a loud gulp as the door was slid open and they walked into the room behind it.

The bedroom of Chizuru Honsho was definitely what one might expect. It was somewhat under-kept but adequately furnished. Several bookshelves filled with DVDs and manga took up one wall of the room. The rest of the walls were covered in posters of different Japanese idols, actresses, pop-stars, and celebrities. The basic theme to the posters was that they were all of really cute looking girls with long hair and large breasts.

Between two larger posters, taking up much of an entire wall was something strange. Approaching it, Tatsuki easily recognized what it was. It was a collage of photos. There were almost a hundred separate pictures on the wall and they all had one subject: Orihime Inoue.

"You like my Hime wall?" Chizuru asked teasingly, following the other's eyes.

There were pictures on the wall of Orihime doing just about everything. There were pictures of her sleeping, pictures of her eating, pictures of her doing schoolwork, and pictures of her not doing much of anything. Tatsuki knew that she should probably ask how Chizuru had obtained so many pictures of Orihime and she knew that what ever answer she would get would probably creep her out. She didn't ask this though; she couldn't.

Chizuru had taken these photographs, but to Tatsuki it was as if they were from her eyes. It was as if she was seeing every one of her memories of Orihime all at once. It was overwhelming. It made her tremble and a tear roll across her cheek as a gripping pain cut across her heart. She suddenly felt like just breaking down in tears, crying out for the one closest to her heart to return to her.

Then a warmth filled her hand and prevented any more ears from streaming out. Tatsuki looked up to see Chizuru smiling faintly as she gripped her hand firmly.

"I should have realized... so many moments at once... it would he hard..." Chizuru said somberly as she tried to lead Tatsuki away from the wall collage.

"I'm sorry... I just haven't seen her in so long... and so suddenly..." Tatsuki said miserably, beating a tear off her cheek.

Chizuru then let go of Tatsuki's hand. She proceeded to sit atop her unmade bed. She spoke in an even, serious voice, "Am I wasting my time, Tatsuki?"

"No! Of course not! I-I like you, Chizuru, I really do... I-it's just... me and Orihime share a... special connection..." Tatsuki's voice was intense yet vulnerable at the same time.

"Special connection?" Chizuru was shaking a bit and looked full of uncertainty.

"I can feel her," Tatsuki said, high emotion apparent, "No matter how far away she is, I can feel her warmth in my heart." Tears began to fall from her eyes once more. "Even though it's faint I can feel her even now..."

Chizuru continued to wear a solemn expression as she didn't budge from the bed. She said with sentient anger, "I understand, Tatsuki. That's why I won't force you into anything. I won't hold it against you if you walk out right now."

"I can't do that!" Tatsuki near yelled as her tears stopped. She didn't even know why she was angry.

"And why not? If you and Orihime are so deeply connected then how could there possibly be any room for me?!" Now Chizuru was the one with tears in her eyes.

"I need you, Chizuru," Tatsuki spoke with a certainty in her voice that made Chizuru visibly shake.

"W-what?" Chizuru's eyes widened at the words.

"I can feel her... I can feel her but sometimes it's faint. Sometimes I can only just barely feel her," Tatsuki tried desperately to keep her voice strong, "I fear that one day... I'll wake up... and I won't be able to feel her warmth at all." Tatsuki looked directly into Chizuru's eyes as she then said, "I fear that one day my heart will be empty... and I-I'll... be alone..."

"I don't want to be alone either, Tatsuki," Chizuru, said crying helplessly as she sat.

"I know. That's why I need you, Chizuru..." Tatsuki said softly as she walked forward slowly and sat down next to the other girl. Her hand went to stroke Chizuru's cheek and wipe away her tears.

"Tatsuki..." the redhead cooed as she blushed. The typically forceful and aggressive girl looked vulnerable as Tatsuki lifted her jaw. Tatsuki's lips formed the slightest smile as they found Chizuru's.

Chizuru seemed immediately taken aback by the other's actions. The two of them had kissed plenty of times in their first week together but Chizuru had always been the one to initiate things. Now Tatsuki was the one holding Chizuru, a hand through her hair and another to her back, as she kissed her tenderly. It was but an instant before surprise faded and the glimmer in Chizuru's eyes returned.

Chizuru's arms soon wrapped snugly around Tatsuki's frame as the two kissed lovingly. With little hesitation Tatsuki flicked her tongue across Chizuru's lips causing her girlfriend's eyes to only further brighten. Chizuru let her tongue meet the black-haired girl's as the kiss escalated to full passion. Their saliva mixed as their tongue's danced erratically in either of their mouths. When Chizuru finally pulled away it was with a deeply satisfied expression.

"Wow, Tatsuki, you've been holding back all this time, haven't you?" Chizuru teased, with an oversized grin.

"Guess so," Tatsuki nonchalantly chuckled.

"So do you actually wanna...?" Chizuru blushed shyly. Tatsuki had never imagined Chizuru Honsho as being shy. It was quite cute.

"Would I still be here if I didn't?" Tatsuki retorted, showing Chizuru her own teasing smile.

"I'm certainly lucky," Chizuru giggled, "I never expected you to be so eager."

Suddenly Tatsuki stood up. She wore a serene, sensual expression as she reached for the hem of her T-shirt. "You wanted to see what I'm wearing under here, didn't you?" she said as she turned around and started pulling the shirt over her head.

Tatsuki could see the drool coming from her girlfriend's mouth as she turned around once the shirt and shorts had been discarded. Tatsuki was now clad in nothing but the swimsuit she had put on for the planned beach excursion. It was a small two-piece suit decorated with a leopard print pattern. It was a little embarrassing putting her nearly unclothed figure on display for Chizuru but at the same time it felt great seeing how captivated the other was with her toned, athletic body.

"You're absolutely beautiful, Tatsuki. It makes me just want to kiss you all over," Chizuru said with a girlish squeal.

"Sounds like fun, but why don't you show me what's under your clothes first?" Tatsuki laughed.

"Whatever you want, my beautiful Tatsuki," Chizuru said with a soft smile as she too stood up. She turned and shed her clothing quickly before presenting her own swim suit to the other.

Tatsuki wasn't prepared for what she saw. The suit her girlfriend was wearing was downright scandalous. Tatsuki had to wonder what sort of place would even sell a swimsuit so revealing. Like Tatsuki's it was a two piece. it had pink flower design to it but there was so little fabric that was really a moot point. The small triangular cups of the top ineffectively covered Chizuru's average sized breasts, while the bottom made no effort to provide any coverage beside what was needed at the crotch.

Despite the arousal seeing a cute girl she had feelings for in next to nothing caused Tatsuki, there was something she had to ask before jumping into things, "Chizuru! We're you actually planning to wear _that_ to a public beach?!"

"I sure was. I bought it just so you could see me in it. I didn't care who else might see," Chizuru said softly, cutely, fueling Tatsuki's growing lust.

"You certainly are brave." The spiky-haired girl shook her head.

"D-do you like it or not?" Chizuru blushed as she suddenly sounded vulnerable.

"What do you think?" Tatsuki said harshly as she threw her arms around the other girl and forced their mouths and then their tongues together. Her hands quickly traveled to Chizuru's rounded, all but exposed rear which was squeezed forcefully while Chizuru began to massage the sides of Tatsuki's toned stomach. After only about a minute of this Tatsuki pinned the other girl to her bed.

"When I imagined my first time, I always thought I'd be the one to take the lead." Chizuru said with a soft giggle as she stared up at the girl atop her.

"You don't mind, do you?" Tatsuki smirked.

"'Course not..." Chizuru cooed softly as Tatsuki began to kiss her neck passionately.

Both girl's hands went to the other's breasts then while they kissed some more. Tatsuki could already feel much of the soft flesh against her cupped hands as the majority of Chizuru's breasts were left uncovered by the ridiculous swimsuit, but Tatsuki wanted to feel even more. Her hands went to Chizuru's back and found the tie to the top; slowly she saw it undone.

When Tatsuki lifted herself slightly so as to remove the miniscule garment from her partner she noticed that her own top had at some point been untied as it fell down along her arms. She smiled as she tossed it and Chizuru's aside and resumed their last kiss passionately while forcing their chests together. Chizuru panted slightly as Tatsuki filled her mouth with tongue and her nipples pressed roughly into Tatsuki's soft breasts.

A thin line of mixed saliva was left trickling from Chizuru's mouth as Tatsuki left it behind to take up a suck at one of the girl's pert nipples. Chizuru moaned girlishly as Tatsuki's tongue darted across the hardened, sensitive flesh and roughly into the softer surrounding flesh. Tatsuki's hand cupped the other supple mound and began to coarsely knead it while pinching the hard nub between two fingers. Her other hand slipped down between the girl's legs where it was surprised to find the crotch of Chizuru's swimsuit practically as wet as it would have been had they actually gone swimming.

Eager to move things along, Tatsuki dropped further down the other girl's body. Her hands found the tiny piece of string that held the bottom portion of Chizuru's swimsuit together. A tinge of nervousness entered her smile as she puled the inadequate garment down and off Chizuru. She positioned herself between Chizuru's sexy smooth legs and stared at what was between them.

Chizuru's sex was such a pretty, lustrous pink color. The area all around it shimmered with Chizuru's naughty juices. Just looking at it was intoxicating. Tatsuki put her hand to her new lover's core and let her fingers slip in and across the beautiful slit. Chizuru moaned hard as Tatsuki reveled in the warmth and wetness she felt encompass her fingers.

Tatsuki withdrew her hand to find the other girls clear fluid clinging hotly to her fingers. She brought the hand to her face and inhaled Chizuru's lovely scent. Her tongue was then freed to lap up the delicious juice while Chizuru watched and squealed with anticipation.

"Stop teasing me, Tatsuki! I need your tongue now!" Chizuru begged helplessly as her body shook from waiting.

"As you wish," Tatsuki said with a husky laugh as she neared the dripping pink opening in front of her. Her tongue escaped her mouth deliberately.

Chizuru's back arched and her leg kicked forward slightly as Tatsuki's tongue found it's way between the lips of her sex. She filled the room with heavenly moans as Tatsuki's tongue began to flicker wildly through her most sensitive parts. Tatsuki let her licks become hot and heavy as her tongue tried to please every square inch of the girl's delicate sex.

Tatsuki's licks became more centralized; Chizuru's moans became louder. Tatsuki's tongue worked deeper; Chizuru's cries became higher. Tatsuki's motion became at once uncontrollable and unpredictable; Chizuru's breaths became harder. Chizuru was kicking and screaming in pleasure under Tatsuki's able tongue. Then, very suddenly, a high moan escaped Chizuru's lips as a quick burst of delicious fluid hit Tatsuki's tongue. Tatsuki gave a few more licks to the slick slit while Chizuru panted before pulling off the girl.

"You don't know... how incredible... you were..." Chizuru spoke between difficult breaths.

"Well, you don't know how delicious you taste, " Tatsuki teased, not believing the words were actually leaving her mouth.

"Why don't you give me a sample then?" Chizuru licked her lips in a highly sexual fashion, collecting some of the saliva that had poured out during all her moaning.

Tatsuki gave hard laugh as she crawled over the girl. "You mean like this?" she asked as she forced their lips together yet again, thrusting her tongue deep inside Chizuru's mouth. Chizuru sucked her tongue lovingly, shivering in delight as her own juices and Tatsuki's saliva dripped off to pool in her mouth.

"Delicious..." Chizuru swooned as Tatsuki pulled away, a clear string of fluid still connecting their tongues.

"It's your turn now," Tatsuki said softly with the slightest blush, eager and scared at the same time of the sensations she was about to feel.

"Yay. Does that mean I get to pet you and kiss you all over now?" Chizuru asked with a bright-eyed smirk as she and Tatsuki switched places.

"If you want..." Tatsuki's face further reddened as she lay down on the bed.

Chizuru smiled as she initiated another heated kiss. This time it was Chizuru's tongue filling Tatsuki's mouth. It broke to Chizuru letting her tongue run across Tatsuki's cheek into her ear while her hands went to cup the black-haired girl's supple breasts. Tatsuki let out a high girlish moan of her own as Chizuru's tongue kisses found their way to the contours of her neck.

"Aww, what an adorable sound, Tatsuki. I wanna hear more!" Chizuru said excitedly between short wild kisses to her lover's neck. Tatsuki began to moan and coo more readily despite the fact that everything was leaving her quite embarrassed.

Chizuru progressed slowly down to Tatsuki's breasts. She planted soft kisses at either nipple as her hands moved down to knead Tatsuki's backside. Her kisses soon became long and filled with snaking tongue as she took up a suckle at one of the decent-sized mounds of delicate flesh. After some high moans left Tatsuki's lips, Chizuru left Tatsuki's breasts and continued her tongue's trail downward.

The redhead began to stroke Tatsuki's thighs as she kissed and licked up and down her stomach. Sweet pleasured moans escaped the usually tough girl's lips as Chizuru's hands came to the inside of her thighs and progressed deliberately upward. Then Chizuru's hand ran across the crotch of her swimsuit while the girl's tongue pressed down hotly against Tatsuki's navel. The oft fierce girl couldn't suppress an incredibly high moan as her body was rocked with pleasure.

"You had enough foreplay yet, Tatsuki? You ready for me to stick my hot tongue deep into your naughty slit?" Chizuru licked her lips hungrily.

"Please..." Tatsuki said, choking on her embarrassment.

"Good, I can't wait any longer to lap up your sexy juices either." Chizuru giggled excitedly as she helped Tatsuki out of the bottom half of her swimsuit.

It was immediate and it was intense. As soon as Tatsuki's sex was displayed to her Chizuru just dove in and started assaulting it with her relentless tongue. The ecstatic series of sudden movements was mind-numbing for Tatsuki. It was incredible. She no longer had control of herself. Moans were escaping her lips, her hips were moving in time with Chizuru's incredible tongue, her upper body writhed about like mad and there was nothing she could do about any of it.

Chizuru then took a sudden break from collecting her lover's fluid to tease. "You taste so good, Tatsuki..." the words made Tatsuki blush. "How does it feel?"

"Incredible..." Tatsuki half moaned out, the feel of Chizuru's hot breath against her most delicate bits causing her to shiver.

Without another word Chizuru resumed her diligent licking. Tatsuki cried out in pleasure as she felt her racing heart beat faster with every hot motion of tongue. Breathing regularly became hard s she lost focus and everything became a blur. A piercing moan left her mouth has she felt a wave of indescribable pleasure overtake her entire being.

Tatsuki had only just begun panting when Chizuru joined their mouths together for yet another kiss. She was short of breath but that didn't stop her from thrashing her tongue about Chizuru's own with ardor as they held each other tightly.

"So good..." Tatsuki sighed as the kiss broke off.

"Yeah... but now it's time for something even better..." Chizuru said with a smirk as she found her feet and walked over to a set of drawers. She pulled out one drawer and fished for something outside.

"What'cha lookin for?" Tatsuki asked, finally cooling down a bit.

"A nice toy for us to play with..." CHizuru answered softly. Then pulling form the drawer a very large, insanely thick black plastic strap-on sex toy, she asked, "How about I fuck you with this big thing?"

Tatsuki chuckled. "Don't you mean, how about I fuck you with that big thing?" she said with a deep smirk as she sat up, amused.

"I think I'll pass on that..." Chizuru said with a meek laugh as she replaced the piece, which had likely been bought with the intention of being used on Orihime should Chizuru ever get her back to her room. Tatsuki stood and proceeded to examine the drawer with her.

Inside the drawer was an assortment of various sex toys. There were smaller electronic pieces as well as larger manual ones. "You sure have a lot of perverted toys, Chizuru," Tatsuki said, somehow not surprised at all.

"Gotta find some way to amuse yourself with no girlfriend..." Chizuru giggled.

"Well, you got one now, but I'm guessing these things will still come in handy for us, " Tatsuki said as she continued to look at all the things.

"See anything you wanna try right now, lover?" Chizuru asked softly.

Tatsuki fished around in the drawer for awhile before removing an article. It was an incredibly long relatively thick double-sided toy made of soft pink plastic. It was another one of the objects Tatsuki surmised was planned for Orihime rather than Chizuru's masturbatory use.

"I think this looks like fun," Tatsuki said with a smile.

"Great pick, this way we can both feel it at the same time..." Chizuru smiled at her lover before kissing her gently and taking the long piece from her hands. The two quickly returned to sitting atop the bed.

Chizuru spread Tatsuki's legs first and guided the long plastic toy between her thighs until it was resting against her sex. She rubbed it up and down the gradually re-wetting slit for awhile until friction became minimal. Then Chizuru eased the piece gently into her lover's tight opening. Tatsuki watched then with Chizuru as her half of the toy disappeared inside of her deliberately with a degree of pain; she had after all never really experienced any sort of hard penetration before.

Tatsuki suppressed and eventually forgot the pain as she watched Chizuru guide the plastic piece toward her own narrow, flooding opening. She moaned as she forced it inside roughly, the thick plastic entering her with relative ease. Soon the long plastic toy had all but disappeared inside of the two girls.

Very soon the distance between them was miniscule as their legs intertwined. Chizuru thrust hard onto the piece causing Tatsuki to thrust back in response. A rhythm developed as their hips began to move back and forth instinctively. Tatsuki could feel it pulsing in and out of her rapidly, filling her up completely, and knew Chizuru was feeling the same thing.

They both began to pant and moan loudly as thrust followed thrust. The entirety of the toy was inside them now and the insides of their thighs were in contact. Pleasure was overwhelming Tatsuki yet again. She could feel her heart beat loudly, faster than her hips moved; she was sweating profusely and could hear the juices flying from between her legs. And of course Chizuru was feeling all the same things.

Both girls panted uncontrollably as passion overtook them and forced their hips into wild uncontrollable motion. Tatsuki could feel her release as being eminent and from the intensifying moans flying from Chizuru's lips she assumed that girl was close as well. Thrust became harder and deeper, the long piece being pulled and pushed in and out of either girl repeatedly. Eventually CHizuru thrust hard enough that Tatsuki was thrown violently over her limit, ecstasy enveloping her in the form of a massive orgasm that shook her entire frame. The intensity was only greatened as Chizuru began moaning wildly in climax as well.

Both girls collapsed onto the bed and didn't move for awhile. Tatsuki felt strange. Her heart was warm. Her mInd was clear. She couldn't help but smile.

"Amazing..." Tatsuki whispered.

"Yeah..." Chizuru sighed as she gently eased the sex toy out of either of them, resulting in a suppressed moan from both.

"I'm happy, Chizuru," Tatsuki spoke in a soft voice.

"Me too," Chizuru replied with a degree of enthusiasm.

"I don't need Orihime to be happy," Tatsuki said in a serene manner.

"I'm glad," Chizuru smiled lovingly at her girlfriend as she crawled up next to her on the bed and draped an arm over her.

"You're enough. You're enough to fill my heart. You're enough to give me happiness. You're all I need, Chizuru," Tatsuki said wispily, surprised she was saying such a thing aloud at all.

"Aww how sweet. But Hime's your closest friend. You can't just abandon her completely because of me." Chizuru said with a slight frown.

"I wasn't planning on it. I still wanna be Orihime's friend. I still wanna protect her and watch over her. I still wanna know where she is. I still wanna kick Ichigo's ass. I still wanna find out the truth about everything going on around us. I just now realize none of that stuff's as important as I thought it was," Tatsuki said warmly, Chizuru's hand locked with her own.

"In that case I'm happy," Chizuru said in a soft voice, "I'm the same you know. You just helped me realize pretty much all the same things."

"Did I now?" Tatsuki said with a soft laugh.

"Yep! I was torn about giving up on a girl as undeniably sexy as Hime. I wasn't sure if a less-sexy girl like you was going to cut it. But you just proved to me that it doesn't matter. You're sexy enough to where sex with you in incredibly hot. In other words, you're all I need to be happy too, Tatsuki," Chizuru said with excitement and passion. Tatsuki sighed at her words.

"You know saying stuff like that after I said my bit kinda makes you sound like a pervert, Chizuru..." Tatsuki shook her head and giggled.

"Sorry, I can't help it," Chizuru said meekly.

"It's okay. It's actually kinda cute," Tatsuki gave another laugh and then placed a soft kiss on her lover's lips.

Chizuru gave a cute giggle and then sighed. She said, "It's still pretty early. What do you want to do the rest of the day, Tatsuki?"

"I don't know, what do you want to do?" Tatsuki asked with a smirk.

"Well... let's see... we could go somewhere fun and do something... we could go see another movie, grab some lunch, hang around, go shopping... I don't know," Chizuru said unsure.

"You mean you aren't going to ask me to stay here and cuddle with you all day?" Tatsuki asked, surprised.

"Did you want me to?" Chizuru asked surprised, her head cocked to the side.

"I-I... wouldn't have minded..." Tatsuki averted her eyes as she spoke.

"Gee, Tatsuki, who was the pervert again?" Chizuru giggled wildly as she teased her lover.

"Shut up!" Tatsuki said with hard glare at the other. Chizuru laughed. Tatsuki laughed. They kissed lovingly as their arms wrapped around one another. At that moment they were both truly happy.

A/N: The end. Interesting chapter. Angsty beginning, sexy middle, and adorably cute end. I think it amounts to a good closer to a great story. As a real steadfast Tatsuki X Orihime fan I entered this pairing unsure of how it would go, but I ended up doing well I thought. The ending is really kinda bittersweet when you take into account where on the timeline I set this story (immediately prior to Orihime being taken to Hueco Mundo). I thought the sex was pretty good here. Nice cute scene.

Anyways, poll results. I asked what pairing you guys didn't want to see. Unsurprisingly Nel X Cirucci, my arancar crack pairing, did the worst of the bunch, securing 18 of 34 voters votes (more than half). As Nel hasn't _properly_ been introduced in even the Japanese version of the anime yet (and thanks to filler crap won't be for awhile) it's not surprising that most people would have no clue who she is. It sucks since for me, she's personally the hottest girl in all of Bleach. The second least popular pair was Yoruichi X Rukia. I'm kinda lad since building a relationship off of "Hey I used to know your brother," might have been difficult. Rukia X Orihime also did surprisingly bad accruing 13 votes. I guess people want a pairing with a little more of a connection and not me just blindly throwing the two leads together. As for the actual winner of the poll, the lowest vote getter, there was a problem. Or he first time so far, there was a tie. Both Unohana X Soi Fon and Soi Fon X Hinamori got only ten votes. This leaves me with the problem of deciding which to do. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Momo would be easier to write while Retsu would me less predictable. Momo would probably be more sad and touching while Retsu would be more fun. In other words I can see my self writing either story. It's up to my reviewers to persuade me one way or the other. So please review and tell me who Soi Fon's lover should be. While your at it tell me what you thought of the story.

The current poll is just another fun opinion question.


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